Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens
by James D. Fawkes
Summary: When Orochimaru seals off the Kyubi's power during the Chunin Exams, he unleashes a new power that just may equal the fox in raw strength. Perhaps...it is even greater. Sôten ni zase...Hyôrinmaru. B-Side chapters for NaruHina
1. Awakening

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens**  
**By**: James D. Fawkes

**Chapter One: Awakening**

— **o.0.O.O.0.o —**

Naruto rubbed his aching head as he came to, climbing to his feet shakily, "What—?"

The memory came back in a flash, distorted by a distinct crimson haze.

"_Hmm," the Grass shinobi mused quietly, Naruto in her grasp. "It seems the Kyûbi brat is still alive. Oh!"_

_The ninja looked amused as she studied the intricate seal on the boy's stomach, "When you use the beast's Chakra, the seal becomes visible."_

_The Kusagakure kunoichi moved her right hand behind herself, a mini purple fire lighting up on each fingertip. Naruto thrashed in her grasp, trying desperately to free himself. The ninja's amazingly long tongue, however, would not relinquish him from its grasp._

"_Hey!" he shouted, wriggling as much as the foreign appendage would allow. "Let me go!"_

_The super powerful Grass ninja, who was actually Orochimaru in disguise, thrust his flaming fingers into Naruto's unprotected abdomen, crying, "Gogyo Fuin!"_

_Naruto's face contorted into a silent scream as the Hebi Sennin's agile digits dug into his stomach, clenching around the soft flesh. The red bled from his irises as the Kyūbi's Chakra disappeared, returning his eyes to their natural blue. His canine teeth shrunk to their original size and his nails were once more blunt and soft. Then, without warning, the blonde boy slumped, unconscious._

"Ugh," he groaned softly. "What did that snake freak do to me?"

He looked around, his expression dazed, "Where—?"

Frozen tundra is what he saw, with snowy banks that stretched for miles, far beyond his human line of sight. Several trees, barren of any sign of life and covered by a thick layer of ice, littered the rolling slopes. Something soft and small landed on his nose, quickly melting into water as it dribbled down his face.

He reached out, catching petite, white fuzz in his palm. It was snowing, he realized, though with the blankets of the stuff that covered the ground, it was difficult to distinguish the tiny flakes falling from the sky. The slate gray clouds didn't make it any easier, either, as they blocked out the sun and left only a miniscule bit of light for him to see with.

Despite the abominable weather, however, he didn't feel cold at all.

His eyes widened, surprise and confusion in their sapphire depths, "Where am I?"

Last he remembered, he'd been in the Forest of Death during the second part of the Chûnin Selection Exams and he had fought against an impossibly strong Kusagakure ninja. He had been surrounded by trees and roots, each of which was easily three times the size of normal foliage.

So where was he now? The only place that had snow, according to what he'd been taught, was the frigid Yuki no Kuni, the Land of Snow. Even Yuki no Kuni, however, had never been reported to have trees covered in ice. If he wasn't in the Land of Snow, one of the only places that suffered through winter, then where could he be?

_'On this plain of never-ending ice and snow,' _the blonde thought in a rare philosophical moment, "did I die?"

"So," a deep voice, like the rolling thunder, spoke. Nearly jumping out of his skin, Naruto turned at near light speed, coming face to face with a huge blue dragon, "you're finally here."

Its scales were smooth and slick and reflected the miniscule light perfectly, which gave them an ice-like shine. Atop its head was a crown of spikes, each of which jutted backwards like shards of broken glass. Its nostrils were thin and narrow, almost serpentine, but its breath did not leave clouds of condensation behind.

"Tell me. Can you hear my name?" the dragon moved closer, its glowing red eyes boring into his own, "Can you call out to me, to Hyôrinmaru?"

"Is that you?" Naruto asked, voice low and quavering with fear and awe. His eyes were wide and his breathing came out in shaky rasps. His heart thumped loudly. "Are you Hyôrinmaru?"

The dragon seemed to grin, baring two rows of shiny, carnivorous teeth, "So, you _can_ hear."

A burst of warm breath came from its nostrils, "After years of having your ears plugged by the Nine-tailed Fox, you can finally hear me."

"The fox?" Naruto parroted, his features quickly contorting into rage. "What does _he_ have to do with anything?"

"Do not be so quick to hate, child," a second burst of breath came, knocking Naruto off his feet. He fell on his butt with a soft grunt. "If it were not for that beast, you would likely have failed to survive your rough childhood. Blocked me from you, he may have, but kept you alive, he did, even if it was in self-interest."

"What?" Naruto looked shocked. "But how?"

"He protected you when I could not," the dragon responded. "He healed you when others would have waned away into nothing. He soothed you when sleep would not come to your young mind."

"But that was all _his _fault to begin with!" Naruto protested loudly. "If he hadn't attacked Konoha, then he wouldn't have gotten his fuzzy butt sealed, and I would have had a normal life!"

"Do not be so quick to judge," Hyôrinmaru purred. "The fault of the Nine-tails' attack lies in the Uchiha and their accursed bloodline. The one called Madara…"

The dragon's eyes flashed, "Were it not for that evil man, the beast would not be where he is."

Naruto looked confused, "What does the Uchiha clan—?"

"That, I cannot answer," the serpentine beast interrupted, anticipating his question. "I only know what information I can glean from the beast and his mutterings."

"Oh," Naruto said lamely. He glanced around, somewhat unnerved by the dragon's unblinking stare. "So…what are you?"

There was huff from the creature in front of him, almost like an amused chuckle, but Naruto dared not imagine he was right. Despite this, the dragon's tone was serious when it responded, "I am the piece of your soul dedicated to fighting. I am the part of you that never gives up, even when your body is frail and defeated."

There was something powerful in the beast's voice as it continued, its pitch rising, "I am the Wrath of Heaven, the instrument with which you slay your foes. I am the lord of ice and snow, the master of all things water! I am the frigid bite of death! I am your sword and your shield, and I shall protect you until the bitter end!" — its voice rose to a roar — "I am HYÔRINMARU!"

It bowed its head submissively, startling Naruto with the foreign gesture, "Now command me, and _raze your enemies to the ground_!"

A sudden feeling of power rushed through his body, and he felt like he could do anything, beat anyone, and overcome any obstacle. It was like molten lava flowing through his veins and with nothing but confidence, he reached out to touch the spiked crown of Hyôrinmaru's head.

The strange world disappeared in a flash of bright light.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto woke with a gasp, his head aching and his stomach sore. It felt as though he'd been run through with a katana, as though the metal had pierced the flesh of his belly and been left there to bleed him out.

"…ha!" there was a loud thud, as of meat hitting the ground. Sakura's voice cried out in a soft shout, a vicious crack renting the air; a crack like that of bones breaking, shattered by the blunt force of the unforgiving earth. Naruto's mind was hazy, as though clouded by a thick fog he had no way of escaping.

'_Ugh. What's that noise?'_

"Kin, out of the way!" the words were thick and seemed shrouded in a heavy mist. A blast of wind leapt to life, sprinkling his body with a cool breeze. There were three sharp clunks and a soft explosion sound, one that Naruto recognized as belonging to a Kawarimi.

'_It's so noisy_!_ God, my head is pounding.' _His skull pulsed with pain, as if someone had drilled several holes in his head. He let out a soft hiss through his teeth.

"…useless!" Another rush of wind, this time closer than before, showered him with harsh air that whipped his skin raw. His ears twitched at the dark scoff that followed.

'_Shut up! You're so annoying!'_

"…you're not fooling anyone!" Three more thunks, followed once more by the soft explosion of the Body Replacement Technique. Naruto's brow furrowed in annoyance, his lips twisted into a scowl.

'_Shut up! One more time, and I'll…!'_

"...get serious!" another thud, this time heavier, followed by a surprised gasp and the smell of blood leaking from fresh wounds. There was a muffled cry of pain, feminine in nature, and several loud whacks as someone hit something repeatedly. Then, a thud as something or someone was thrown bodily to the ground.

'_That's it! THAT'S IT! Someone's gonna die!'_

Blue eyes snapped open, a harsh voice whispering, "No more Mister Nice Guy."

He stood in one fluid motion, fingers wrapping around the hilt of a sword that he'd never had before, but one that sent a satisfied rush through his veins. The world halted before his frigid gaze, his sapphire eyes sweeping the forest around him, narrowed in cold fury he'd never felt before. His grasp on his sword tightened.

"Naru…to," Sakura whispered dully from her spot on the ground, one eye already swelling shut. She looked surprised to see him, like he was some phantom specter back from the dead.

"What the?" the ninja with spiky black hair asked confusedly. "Weren't you out cold a few seconds ago?"

Naruto focused his icy gaze on the Sound Genin, words tumbling past his lips before he knew what he was saying, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru." (Sit upon the Frozen Heavens, Ice Ring)

Everyone waited for something to happen, but nothing did, and the spiky haired Genin smirked, a cocky gleam in his eye. He scoffed, "Was something supposed to happen?"

"Zaku!" the bandaged one scolded, wary of this new opponent. This was not the Uzumaki Naruto they had been told to expect.

In a blur, Naruto had moved to stand in front of the one identified as Zaku, already in mid swing. Startled, Zaku stumbled backwards in a clumsy effort to dodge. Steel glinted and several locks of black hair fell to the ground as the Sound Genin landed on his butt. Zaku, shocked at the pure speed of his enemy, could only stare.

Instantly, Naruto was upon him again, both hands grasping the hilt as his blade came down in a graceful arc. Zaku yelped, rolling backward over his shoulder only to land straight on his feet, crouched defensively. He looked like a frightened animal too scared to move.

As Naruto moved to continue his assault, Zaku channeled Chakra into his legs and leapt as far away as his enhanced limbs would allow, preparing his own attack as he went. Air compressed, Chakra funneled, and Zaku aimed, "Zankuuha!"

A gale of tightly packed wind rushed from Zaku's palms, targeting the motionless Naruto, whose icy gaze had not wavered. Zaku grinned, knowing that there was no way the blonde boy could dodge at this range.

Naruto jumped. It wasn't a small jump, like a hop, but a full-blown leap that carried him at least two dozen feet into the air, where gravity seemed to lose its hold on him as he once more swung his sword. Zaku nearly palmed his face, wondering what kind of idiot swung at nothing during a life or death battle.

From the downward arc of the blade, a winding, icy blue Japanese dragon soared, its eyes red and its jaw wide. It was headed straight for him and he was too surprised to even think of dodging. It was like something had frozen him to his spot and no matter how much he told himself to move, he couldn't.

"Zaku!" at the last second, Dosu called out his name and Zaku finally responded, vaulting from his spot as the sapphire beast closed in on him. He felt a frigid chill nick his left arm, but paid it no attention.

A gasp from his female teammate caught his attention and he looked back to where he'd previously been standing, his eyes widening. Behind him, there was a patch of ice easily a meter in diameter. The grass formed into tiny rigid spikes that he could tell would pierce straight through his sandals.

He moved his arms in an effort to push himself up, but his left one was heavy and cumbersome. He glanced down and couldn't help the gasp of air the left his lungs, a horrified glint in his eyes. His left arm, from the elbow down, was covered in a thick block of ice.

A soft thump announced Naruto landing next to him and Zaku channeled more chakra, flinging out his good arm, "Zankuuha!"

With a flick of his wrist, Naruto deflected the attack with his sword, despite how impossible such an act was. Eyebrow twitching, he spun on his heel, blocking the attack from Zaku's male teammate, Dosu. Metal clashed and sparks flew, Dosu's gauntlet pushing against Hyôrinmaru.

Ice crept from the point of contact, slowly consuming Dosu's arm in a heavy layer of crystallized water. Surprised, Dosu tried to get away, but Naruto's left hand sneaked out and locked his elbow in a grasp as strong as steel. He wriggled, but Naruto's grip was firm and unwavering.

Once the gauntlet was completely frozen over, Naruto let go of Dosu and brought his sword up as his enemy stumbled. With all of his strength, he slammed the butt of his sword's hilt into the metal glove, smashing it to pieces mercilessly.

Dosu yowled as he fell backwards, clutching at his severely injured right arm. Several scratches decorated the lacerated skin and the bone felt like it had broken at the point of impact. Spikes of pain lanced up and down the entirety of his arm, his pulse pounding against the flesh.

"Leave your scroll and go," Dosu's head jerked up at the icy intonation, his mind taking forever to process what his ears were telling him. After all of this, the broken arm and gauntlet, Zaku's frozen limb, and a show of power so unreal that he felt as though he was dreaming, this boy was letting them leave?

"Leave your scroll and go," Naruto repeated coldly, his eyes more frigid than Yuki no Kuni. Dosu could only nod dumbly. With his good arm, he reached into his kunai pouch and pulled out a scroll decorated with the kanji for earth. Setting it down slowly, he motioned to his teammates silently. They left without another word.

As soon as the team of Sound Genin had vanished, Naruto picked up the scroll, turning to show it off. He grinned, displaying it proudly, "Look, Sakura-san! I got us a scroll!"

Sakura blinked, absentmindedly wondering what had happened to Sakura_-chan_, then nodded slowly. Questions zipped through her head at blinding speeds, leaving her to wonder just what she had witnessed not more than a minute before.

That sword, where had Naruto gotten it? She took a closer look at it. The hilt was wrapped in azure cloth and the cap at the bottom appeared to be made of some sort of bronze, or perhaps even gold. The hand guard just beneath the blade was made in the design of a four-pointed star, also appearing to be composed of gold.

The blade itself was an oddity as well. The metal gleamed with a soft silver glint that belied its true purpose and the steel appeared to be as smooth as glass. Unlike the standard ninja sword, like a kodachi or a ninjato, the blade had majestic curve to it and was quite long. It seemed to be the size of an ordinary katana, which was a big sword for someone of Naruto's stature.

She shivered. The edge was what grabbed her attention the most. She knew, without even testing it, that the blade's edge was sharp enough to cut through most targets. She almost wanted to see if it could slice a shuriken in half, just to get a more accurate judge of its abilities.

Abilities. That's the word. Even more unusual than the weapon's composition was the abilities it had revealed. She wondered if it was the actual sword or if Naruto was simply channeling Jutsu through it. After all, what blade can fire a dragon of ice at the wielder's opponent? What sword can freeze an enemy simply by contact?

Sakura jerked at the sound of scraping metal, looking over at her blond teammate. A navy blue sheath was slung over his right shoulder, tied there by a strand of iron ninja wire, and he was easing his sword into it delicately. He grinned at her and she could only smile awkwardly. That just brought up more questions.

Where had the sheath come from? Naruto hadn't been carrying it with him when the exam had started. He hadn't been carrying the sword, either. He didn't know anything about sealing weapons. So what did that leave? Where had the sword and sheath come from?

The whole thing was giving her a headache.

"Hey!" Naruto looked over as a girl jumped down from the trees, her brown hair tied up in two buns on the top of her head. Her white-eyed teammate frowned. "That's a nice sword you have."

"Yeah," Naruto chuckled. "He's great, ain't he?"

"I'll say," she whistled. "The hilt is amazing in and of itself, but the blade! I've never seen something of this quality before!"

She giggled, "So, 'he'?"

"Yeah," Naruto grinned. "His name's Hyôrinmaru. He's the best sword you'll ever see!"

"I can see that," she too grinned, "and his owner isn't anything to sneeze at either. I've seen quite a few blades, but this one is something else. I didn't know it was possible to channel Jutsu through weapons like that! Even the White Fang's sword couldn't manage something so advanced!"

She let her eyes rove over the hilt, taking in its splendor, "So, did your Jônin sensei teach you that?"

Naruto blinked, cocking his head to the side, "Teach me what?"

She resisted the urge to arch an eyebrow, "You know, that…_dragon_ thing."

He looked her oddly. She motioned with her arms as if swinging a sword, saying, "Where you just swing and this dragon comes out and attacks your enemies?"

"Oh that," recognition lit up in Naruto's eyes. "That's Hyôrinmaru."

"But…I thought Hyôrinmaru was the sword," she stated lamely, confusedly.

"He's both," Naruto told her matter-of-factly. "He's the dragon and the sword."

"But…that means…"she started, scrunching her face up as she put together the implications that statement brought. If this Hyôrinmaru was both the sword and the dragon, that meant that, "you have a dragon sealed inside of that sword?"

"Something like that," Naruto admitted sheepishly. Truth be told, he wasn't sure himself. All he knew was that Hyôrinmaru was both his sword and the dragon, and so long as that didn't interfere with anything, he was going to leave well enough alone. As long as it worked, he didn't care about the _how_.

She opened her mouth and closed it several times, but nothing came out. Finally, she decided upon an excited grin, giggling girlishly. She turned to leave, throwing a wave over her shoulder, "You're an interesting guy! So let's meet again, Naruto-san! Don't lose, okay?"

Leaping into the trees, she and her team disappeared into the dense foliage.

Naruto couldn't help the grin that threatened to split his face. That girl was quite an interesting one. She was kind of strange, he had to admit, because it wasn't everyday you found a girl so obsessed with weapons. He didn't really care, though, because she was interested in him as a person and that made her okay in his book.

That teammate of hers, though, Neji, was someone that Naruto figured he better watch out for. Lee had told him that Neji was the strongest Genin in the entire village of Konoha, and Lee himself had easily beaten Naruto. If Neji was even stronger than Lee, that meant that Naruto would definitely have to keep an eye on the Taijutsu prodigy, Hyuga Neji.

His thoughts were interrupted by Sakura's excited cry of, "Sasuke-kun!"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"I say we open the scrolls," Naruto said, injecting his opinion. After roughly three hours of nonstop running, Team Seven had finally made it to the tower…where they promptly got into a fight about what to do.

"Idiot!" Sakura punched Naruto over the head, a vein popping out on her brow. "Anko-san said _not_ to open the scrolls! We'd get disqualified!"

"She was talking about before we got to the tower!" Naruto shouted back, rubbing the bump forming on his cranium. "Besides, we would probably still be looking for a second scroll if I hadn't tricked the snake freak into burning a decoy!"

"I don't care!" Sakura fumed, glaring at him. "I'm not about to let you and your stupidity get Sasuke-kun disqualified from the Chûnin Exams!"

"It's logic!" Naruto argued, blue eyes burning. "We're in the tower with no one to greet us! The only explanation is that the scrolls have something to do with our qualification into the next part of the Exams!"

"Since when do you know anything about logic?" Sakura demanded rhetorically. "I'm not going to let you take any chances! This is one of the most important milestones in Sasuke-kun's life! _You're_ not going to mess that up!"

"Jeez!" Naruto flung his hands up in exasperation, rolling his eyes. "For the smartest girl in the Academy you sure are pretty dumb!"

"What did you say?" Sakura's voice rose. "I dare you to say that to my face!"

"I said," Naruto yelled back, "YOU'RE DUMB!"

"Come here, you little—!" Sakura reached for his neck, fingers twitching dangerously.

"Hey, guys," both of them froze as Sasuke looked at them with his serious face. Naruto thought it made him look constipated. "I think we should open the scrolls."

Naruto palmed his face as Sakura squealed and crooned about how right her Sasuke-kun was, and about how he always had the best ideas. Even after the mess with the three Sound ninja, she still found it prudent to be Sasuke's little cheerleader.

"Ugh," he muttered to himself. "Why did I even like her, anyway?"

"Come on, baka!" Sakura pulled him by the sleeve of his jacket, shoving the Heaven scroll into his stomach forcefully. "Help me open the scrolls."

Grudgingly peeling open the scroll given to him, he stared at its contents. Several characters were written down, focused around single kanji in the center. Naruto blinked, "'Jin'?"

As soon as the word left his lips, the scrolls began to smoke and sizzle in their hands. Naruto nearly dropped it as Sasuke spoke again, his tone urgent, "Naruto, Sakura, throw the scrolls away!"

Trusting the Uchiha to know what he was talking about, his teammates hurled the scrolls at the floor several feet away, watching as the smoke rose to an apex and exploded outwards. As the smoke began to clear, however, a shape could be seen within the dispersing cloud. Team Seven tensed, prepared to fight whatever had appeared from their scrolls.

Naruto blinked in surprised, then grinned, "Iruka-sensei!"

True enough, the smog dissipated, revealing their trusted Academy teacher, Umino Iruka. He grinned at them, waving in a friendly gesture, "Hey, guys. It's been a while, huh?"

Sakura stared, confused, "Iruka-sensei…what just happened?"

"Oh, well," Iruka rubbed the back of his neck, "the summoning spell on the scrolls was designed to let us Chûnin greet the applicants at the end of the second exam. It's just luck that I was the one who wound up meeting you three. Congratulations! You all pass the second exam!"

"If we had sneaked a peek at the scrolls before the exam was over," Sasuke started, "what would you have done, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka scratched his temple with his index finger, "Sharp as ever, huh, Sasuke?"

He shrugged, "Our orders were very specific. Anyone who opened a scroll too soon was to be knocked out until the end of the second exam."

His expression softened, "Listen…about the third exam…don't overdo things, okay?"

The three Genin looked at him, blinking in surprise. He continued, "I mean it. I worry about you guys. Especially you, Naruto."

"Don't worry about me, Iruka-sensei," Naruto grinned, fingering the hilt of his sword. Belatedly, Iruka realized he'd had it the entire time they'd been talking. "_No one_ in this exam is a match for Hyôrinmaru!"

Iruka's eyes widened as, for a second, a translucent blue dragon appeared, hovering protectively over Naruto's shoulder. Its serpentine body and tail were coiled around the boy's feet and its red eyes were menacing. It bared its sharp teeth in a vicious snarl. Then, an instant later, it was gone and he seemed to be the only one who'd seen it.

He grinned, rubbing his neck sheepishly, "Yeah, I guess so, huh?"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The Hokage looked over the assembled Genin, resisting the overwhelming compulsion to smile when he saw Naruto among them. Twenty-one had made it, the majority of them from his own village. Nine of them were rookies and another three were a team that was only about a year old, having graduated the year previous. It did his heart good to see such strength and courage in ones so young.

In the front of the room stood a group consisting of Chûnin, Jônin, and the Hokage. Protruding from the front wall was a pair of stone hands forming the seal for "Ram".

Anko smirked at them from where she stood, "Congratulations on passing! Hokage-sama will now explain the third test, so listen carefully!"

The Sandaime took a step forward, "Before we begin, there is something I'd like you to know."

He tugged his hat down slightly, baring the kanji for fire imprinted upon its center, "Why do we have all the alliance countries taking this exam together? 'To promote friendship amongst the countries' 'To raise the level of Shinobi'… I don't want you to be confused about the true meaning. This exam is a replacement for war among the allied countries."

Sandaime's face was impassive as he took a puff on his pipe, "If you go back in time, the current allies were enemies who fought each other over who would rule. In order to prevent wasteful fighting, the stage that those countries chose for fighting…That is the origin of the Chûnin Exams."

"What do you mean?" Tenten asked confusedly.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Inuzuka Kiba shouted. "I thought the point was to select Chûnin!"

Sarutobi continued, undaunted by the questions thrown at him, "It is true that this exam decides who is to become Chûnin, but it is also an opportunity for the different countries to show off their ninja to the important figures who watch this third exam. A shinobi village is only as strong as its weakest link."

"Whatever," the redheaded Gaara muttered darkly. "Could you wrap up this philosophical talk and get down to the life and death stuff any time soon?"

"Hmph! If you insist," he paused for a second, "on to the third exam…"

"Actually…" A sick looking Jônin appeared in front of the Hokage, "As referee…Hokage-sama, if I may…?"

Sandaime nodded, a small smile on his face, "By all means…"

The Jônin turned toward the Genin, revealing his weary face and the dark bags under his eyes, "I am Gekkô Hayate and I am the referee. Before the third test, I'm afraid we'll have to hold a preliminary. Since we are going to begin right away, I must ask any who wish to quit to do so now."

"Preliminary?" Kiba echoed. "Right _now_?"

"Well," Gekkô coughed, "it's not as if the first two tests weren't challenging enough. On the contrary, they were quite difficult. We still have too many applicants, however, and, like Hokage-sama said, there will be plenty of nobles watching."

"What does _that _have to do with anything?" Kiba retorted.

Gekkô coughed again, "The nobles will be traveling from all over to see the third exam, so the exam itself has to be quick and speedy to maintain viewer interest. To do that, we need to cut down the number of applicants with this preliminary round. As I said earlier, any who wish to quite may do so now without adversely affecting your teammates' chances of success."

"Well," Yakushi Kabuto raised his hand, "I'm out of here."

"What?" Naruto demanded sharply. "Kabuto-senpai, why are you quitting?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun," Kabuto sighed, "but I got the crap beat out of me in the second exam. And ever since that little fight I got into with those Sound ninja right before the first exam, I've been totally deaf in my left ear."

Kabuto shook his head, "Now they're saying this could be a fight to the death! I'm just not up to that."

Questioning stares followed his retreating back as he left, sparing a short, unnoticeable glance at Naruto and Sasuke.

Hayate looked around, "Right then, (cough, cough) if no one else wishes to forfeit, let's begin the preliminary rounds. If you'll turn your attention to the screen behind me…"

Everyone turned his or her gazes to the large screen behind the sickly Jônin, watching as the blackness faded into a dark gray. The letters 'vs.' lit up in the very center. Above them was the name "Uchiha Sasuke" and below it was "Akado Yoroi".

"Now," Hayate said, "If these two participants would come to the front…"

Sasuke grinned as he and Yoroi moved towards the examiner, each confident of their own ability. Gekkô Hayate made a motion towards the stands, "Now if everyone else would please leave the arena."

When everyone had left the area for the stands, he said, "Please begin."

Yoroi made a hand seal, teasing, "Are you ready, Sasuke-kun?"

He slipped his left hand into his kunai pouch, his right hovering in front of his stomach. He withdrew a few shuriken, while, simultaneously, Sasuke withdrew a kunai from the holster on his thigh. Without warning, Yoroi flung his shuriken at Sasuke, who knocked them away with a swipe of his kunai.

A flash of inexplicable weakness brought Sasuke to the ground, kunai still in hand. Yoroi took the opportunity to try and attack Sasuke, trying to bring his hand down on Sasuke's head. Sasuke rolled and dodged, watching the other Genin's hand sink into the tile floor. Plunging his kunai into ground as a brake, Sasuke spun around and brought Yoroi's legs from under him, pulling the older Genin into a painful looking arm lock.

Yoroi's hand grabbed Sasuke's shirt firmly and, suddenly, Sasuke felt himself growing weaker. Too weak to prevent it, Sasuke could only watch as Yoroi twisted himself free of Sasuke's grip and brought his hand down on the Uchiha's chest. Hard.

Jerking up, Yoroi spun around and latched that same hand on Sasuke's head, sapping the younger boy's strength.

"You're…stealing…my chakra," Sasuke gasped weakly.

Yoroi chuckled darkly, an evil grin hidden beneath the cloth on his face, "So you finally noticed."

With a sudden surge of strength, Sasuke kicked him off, standing up as fast as he could. A scowl lit up his face as he tried to reason out the cause of the unexplained weakness, but no answer would come. Was it the Curse Mark? But wouldn't he feel something from it if that was what was bothering him?

Yoroi growled as he stood back up. He rushed Sasuke again, his technique charged and ready to go. With a burst of speed, Sasuke ducked under his attempt at grappling and sent a kick into the boy's chin, forcing the Genin into the air. As fast as his body would allow, Sasuke followed him, appearing beneath Yoroi's airborne body.

Sasuke sent a light poke to his opponent's back, "It's over."

Using the other Genin's spine, Sasuke flipped over his enemy's body, kicking towards his stomach. It was blocked and Sasuke used the teen's arm as a springboard, landing a vicious backhand in his face. Still twisting, he fired a punch into Yoroi's stomach, knocking the air from his body. Now only a few feet above the ground, Sasuke used his momentum to bring a solid kick into Yoroi's body, forcing him to collide painfully with the ground and Sasuke's foot at the same time.

"Shishi Rendan!" Sasuke said.

With his opponent unconscious and his fight won, Sasuke collapsed on his butt, panting heavily.

Hayate bent over Yoroi, checking for signs of unconsciousness. When he found his answer, he shouted to the stadium, "Akado Yoroi is unable to continue. Uchiha Sasuke wins the first round."

As Kakashi took Sasuke from the stadium and medics took away Yoroi, the screen lit up with the next combatants, "Zaku Abumi vs. Aburame Shino"

Zaku smirked, confident of his victory, his left arm thawed, "Who's this loser?"

When both had entered the stadium and stood in front of Hayate, the referee said, "We will now begin the second match."

The remaining Genin watched the match unfold, wincing a bit as Shino got hit by Zaku's Zankuuha.

Hinata was worried about him, "Will Shino-kun be alright?"

Kiba, her other teammate, smirked, "I wouldn't worry about Shino. He's one of the guys even I don't want to fight."

Neji gazed lazily at the fight, disinterest in his pale gaze, "For a rookie, this guy isn't so bad. But can he win this?"

Tenten grimaced when Zaku's arms were damaged, severely hindering their movement "It seems he can and did."

Down in the stadium, Hayate shouted, "Winner, Aburame Shino!"

The screen lit up again as Zaku was carried away on a stretcher, "**Tsurugi Misumi vs. Kankuro**"

Kankuro bested his opponent relatively quickly. Tsurugi had attacked and supposedly broke his neck, only to discover that he was attacking a puppet. Kankuro had pulled himself from the mass of bandages on the floor revealing that he was safe and unharmed. With practiced ease, Kankuro crushed his opponent, almost literally.

In less than a minute after it started, Hayate said, "Winner, Kankuro."

Ino and Sakura's match ended in an anticlimactic draw. They were too evenly matched to take the other down, so they finished with a double knock out.

The screen lit up for the fifth time, reading "**Temari vs. Tenten**"

This turned out to be the worst match up for Tenten. Her weapons couldn't reach her opponent at all and she was defeated easily. Temari had beaten her brutally, as evidenced by the fact that she had caught the weapons mistress on her fan, Tenten's back bent at an unhealthy angle.

Lee had gotten angry and was ready to fight, but Gai held him back. Lee, still angry, nodded and relinquished his fighting pose. For now.

**Nara Shikamaru vs. Kin Tsuchi**

"A girl?" Shikamaru asked, as if looking for confirmation. He sighed, "Mendôkusai."

Their match didn't last very long either. Kin had had Shikamaru caught in her trap for a few moments, but Shikamaru had come back and out done her. Using his Kagemane no Jutsu, he forced her to hit her head against the wall. She knocked herself unconscious and Shikamaru was declared the winner.

After Kin was carried away on a stretcher, the screen flashed again, revealing the combatants of the next fight, "**Uzumaki Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba**"

"Ha! We got lucky, Akamaru!" Kiba gloated, jumping down into the arena. Akamaru, his dog, gave an enthusiastic bark of agreement.

Excited to finally have his match, Naruto flung himself over the railing, landing on the tiled floor with surprising ease. There was a huge grin on his face, one that was easily matched by his opponent. Hayate stood between them.

"Heh," Kiba clenched his fist. "I feel bad for you, so I'll end this in one punch!"

"Yeah right, dog-breath!" Naruto shot back. "Why don't you and your master go back to chasing cats?"

"Akamaru isn't my master!" Kiba shouted vehemently, glaring. "He's my partner!"

"Prove it," Naruto called coolly. Kiba growled.

"The Seventh match, Uzumaki Naruto versus Inuzuka Kiba," Hayate said calmly. "Begin!"

Kiba's hands instantly clasped together in a hand seal, "Ninpô: Shikyaku no Jutsu!" (Ninja Arts: Four-legged Technique)

The Inuzuka heir got down on all fours, his body becoming more feral and animalistic in appearance. His canines lengthened into fangs and his fingernails into claws, sharp and pointed. Without warning, he dashed for his opponent, intent on winning with a single attack. Naruto, too surprised to do anything, was hit solidly in the stomach. He collided painfully with the stadium wall, crumbling a small portion of it.

"It's over, Hayate-san," Kiba said confidently, a smirk on his lips. "He won't be getting up."

Up in the stands, Yuhi Kurenai, Kiba's teacher, smirked over at Hatake Kakashi, "Looks like your student doesn't belong in this exam, Kakashi-san."

"N-no," surprisingly, it was meek little Hinata that spoke up. "Naruto-kun is m-much stronger than-n that."

As the smoke and rubble from the collision dispersed, Naruto stood up, rubbing his stomach with a wince. He grinned, "You're stronger than I thought."

He unsheathed the sword on his back, the scabbard disappearing into thin air. Several people gasped and Naruto's grin widened, "Let's see how you fare."

"A katana? Kenjutsu?" Kurenai glared at Kakashi. "How could you be so irresponsible? Teaching that kind of thing to a Genin!"

"I didn't," Kakashi responded neutrally. "Either he's been hiding it in a scroll all this time or he got it during the second exam."

Snarling, Kiba leapt at Naruto claws first, swiping towards his opponent's chest. Holding his weapon one-handed, the blond deflected the blow easily, knocking Kiba to the side. A dark growl rising up in his chest, the Inuzuka turned around, taking another swing. Again, Naruto deflected it, flinging a foot out to trip the other boy.

Kiba tumbled, head first, to the ground, his momentum carrying him several feet. Rolling, he flipped back onto his feet, digging his nails into the tile in an effort to slow his movement. An angry snarl curled at his lips, exposing his large incisors to all of the shinobi present. He reached into his kunai pouch, pulling out three smoke bombs.

He flung them, watching as they exploded and shrouded Naruto in a thick cloud. He grinned, seeing Akamaru sneak up behind the blonde. This tactic was one he knew would work and it was definitely to his advantage. His enemy couldn't see, but he could smell where his opponent was and that left Kiba with the upper hand.

A scream alerted him to his pup's success and he let a smirk crack his face.

Naruto grabbed the dog by the scruff of its neck, awkwardly putting his hands into a seal. A poof later, a second Naruto stood next to him and he handed the puppy to his doppelganger, glaring. It was difficult, considering the amount of smoke clouding his vision.

Scowling, he got his hands into another seal, channeling his chakra like he'd seen Kakashi do. In a burst of energy, the smoke dispersed and was blown away, much like the mist had when his sensei had used the skill. The bite, the dog, the smoke, it was all worth it to see the smirk on Kiba's face fall.

"Let Akamaru go," Kiba snarled, eyes blazing with fury.

"What do you take me for, a fool?" Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"Fine," Kiba reached into his pouch again, "have it your way."

He tossed a small pill, which Akamaru promptly swallowed, his fur turning red as he growled. He spun, his claws dispelling the clone that held him. Running, he rushed past the stunned blonde to stand faithfully next to his partner, Kiba.

"Now!" Kiba bent down, hands in a seal as Akamaru jumped atop his back. "Jujin Bunshin!" (Man-Beast Clone)

In a burst of smoke, a second Kiba had appeared in the place of the dog, smirking viciously at his opponent. Naruto blinked, surprised that such a technique even existed. Then, he grinned broadly, brandishing his sword offensively.

Kurenai turned to Kakashi, her expression smug, "I don't know how well you taught that boy, Kakashi-san, or even what you taught him, but he can't beat Kiba."

"No," Sakura whispered, having woken two minutes before, eyes glued to the battle before her. "This isn't the limit. Naruto can do…much more."

Kurenai didn't look convinced and Kakashi refrained from commenting, but Hinata was silently agreeing with her fellow kunoichi. There was no way Naruto would lose this close to becoming Chûnin. She caught Sakura's tiny grin out of the corner of her eye as her blonde crush spoke.

"Sôten ni zase," Naruto commanded, eyes glued to his opponents, "Hyôrinmaru."

"Oh no you don't!" one Kiba cried as the two of them bounded forward on all fours. They spun, creating two vortexes that rushed forth side by side. "Gatsuuga!" (Fang over Fang)

Kakashi palmed his face as Naruto dashed in their direction, sword trailing by his leg. He jumped as the collision became imminent, twisting to get between the two winding tornadoes. Kakashi's eye almost widened as the blonde managed to dodge the attacks completely, if only by a hair. As Naruto landed, Kakashi noticed something else.

One of the vortexes suddenly twisted off course, colliding with the ground painfully. Dust rose and as it cleared, a Kiba could be seen covered up to the neck in ice and wrapped in a chain. The chain reached all the way over to Naruto, connecting with the hilt of his sword. A crescent shaped blade was attached to the other end of the string of metal links, stabbed into the ground.

The second swirl of air and chakra dissipated and a second Kiba landed, staring at the frozen mass that encompassed his comrade. He growled, "Akamaru."

Calmly, Naruto walked over to his captive, staring down at the dog turned boy impassively. Bending down, he pulled the crescent blade from the tiled floor, dropping it immediately afterwards. He reared his fist back, punching the ice with all of his strength. It shattered under his power, the transformation dropping to reveal Kiba's puppy.

"Akamaru!" Kiba cried. Naruto turned at the sound of his voice, the crescent and chain retracting into Hyôrinmaru's hilt. The sword looked as if nothing had happened.

"You!" Kiba snarled. He ran forward again, once more transforming into a spinning vortex as he shouted, "Tsuuga!" (Piercing Fang)

Naruto leapt over the attack, turning around in midair as he brought his sword up. Both hands tightened over the hilt, the blue wrappings rubbing comfortably against his palm. With a jerk of movement, he began his downward swing. An azure dragon jolted forth from the blade's majestic arc, its red eyes gleaming.

"Reign over the frozen sky," Hinata muttered as Kurenai's mouth dropped open in surprise. The dragon roared as it soared for its target, carving a winding path through the air of the arena. Kiba stopped spinning and turned around, shock etched onto his face as the beast charged towards him.

"Kiba-kun!" Kurenai called in alarm, her composure regained.

Her voice seemed to snap the Inuzuka boy out of his stupor and he dodged at the last second, watching as the dragon collided with the tiled floor. A large ice spike remained protruding from the ground, its edges jagged and sharp. Cold steel pressed up against Kiba's neck.

Naruto stood in front of him, Hyôrinmaru poised threateningly against his opponent's jugular vein. The blonde's eyes were as icebergs floating in the frosted sea, "You lose."

Kiba jerked forward, clutching at his stomach where Naruto had punched him as his knees fell from under him. Blackness intruded upon his vision and, with a heavy thump, Kiba collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Naruto swung his sword over his shoulder, placing it in the sheath that had just reappeared as if from nowhere.

Hayate knelt down, checking on the Inuzuka boy. He stood a second later, raising his hand in the blonde's direction as he said, in the loudest voice he could muster, "Winner: Uzumaki Naruto."

"**Hyuga Hinata vs. Hyuga Neji**"

"I never thought I'd be facing you," Neji said, a cold grin on his lips, "Hinata-sama."

"Neji-niisan," Hinata whispered.

"Before we begin, I'd like to thank you, Hinata-sama," Neji's mouth twisted into an angry snarl, "For causing my father's death!"

"N-no! I-I— "

"Still stuttering," Neji scoffed. "I can sense your inferiority complex from here! I bet you didn't even want to enter this exam! You just did so because your teammates wanted to!"

"No!" Hinata interrupted. "I e-entered this exam…t-to change myself!"

Neji's eyes narrowed, "You really are a spoiled brat of the Main House, aren't you? Don't you understand? People cannot change! A loser like you will always be a loser!"

"Shut up!" Neji's hateful eyes flickered to Naruto, the origin of the angry command. "You and your destiny crap aren't worth shit! Hinata-san, kick that jerk into next week!"

"Hm!" Hinata moved into a stance. Neji caught it out of the corner of his eye and smirked, mimicking her.

"Begin!"

In an instant, they were at each other's throats. The ten foot distance that separated them closed almost like magic and, in a flash, they were mere inches apart.

Neji ducked under Hinata's first strike, stepping inside her guard and aiming his own attack at her heart. Hinata quickly dodged to the side, going against the traditional Juken motions by throwing a roundhouse kick into Neji's stomach.

Neji used his momentum to duck under her kick, tucking his body into a ball as he rolled out of the way. Faster than most could follow, he was on his feet again, flying towards Hinata with as much speed as he possessed.

Hinata moved to the side of his first glowing hand, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the follow up attack of Neji's left hand. Her shoulder burning in pain, Hinata stumbled backwards, clutching at where her cousin had made contact.

"Come on, princess," a voice whispered in her ear. She looked over her shoulder as the world halted, come eye to eye with a majestic phoenix, its feathers shimmering from golden to crimson with every move. Beady bronze eyes looked down a plum colored beak at her. Hinata couldn't speak, "Are you going to let this boy do this to you?"

"Wh-who are—?" Hinata stuttered, eyes wide.

"You know my name, Hinata-chan," the phoenix whispered, landing on the girl's shoulder and rubbing its head against her cheek affectionately. An inexplicable warmth worked its way through her body, sending a pleasurable shiver from her head to her toes. "You've always known my name."

The phoenix let out a loud trill, its voice and the almost musical notes contained within echoing as it spread its wings, "Now speak it! Speak my name and show the world just how strong you are!"

The world jerked to a start. Hinata reached her hand forwards, grasping at air as her eyes narrowed in determination, "Hajike, Tobiume!"

Prongs of red energy swirled in the air and coalesced into an oblong shape, then formed a sword in Hinata's palm as Neji dashed towards her again, hands coated with chakra. With a wild, uncharacteristic scream, Hinata pointed the tip of her new blade at her cousin. A ball of pink energy shot forward, but Neji dodged around it, moved inside her guard, and knocked the weapon from her grasp. It clattered to the ground uselessly.

"You are within my field of Hakke!"

Hinata's head whipped around just in time to see the angry, piercing expression on her cousin's face, followed quickly by Neji's blazing hands. The fingers struck home and she felt two of her tenketsu close.

"Two palms!"

A swarm of hands, too fast for her to catch the individual motions, struck her, leaving four spots on her body very sore.

"Four palms!"

Another swarm came and the number of hits her body took quadrupled.

"Eight palms! Sixteen palms!"

A third swarm rained down on her, stealing her strength and chakra from her.

"Thirty-two palms!"

The last swarm came faster than the rest, some striking spots on her body that were already sore from previous hits.

"Sixty-four palms!"

The final strike, the sixty-fifth palm, came at her, throwing her back a few feet where she collapsed to the ground.

"This is the difference in talent that will never change," Neji said acidly. "This is the destiny that you cannot alter."

Hinata stood shakily, "It's n-not over…"

"Just give up," Neji told her. "Go back to being the weakling of the Main Branch. Go back to suffering at the fate of our family's differences."

"You s-say you c-can see e-everything," Hinata stuttered weakly. "But I th-think you're o-overlooking s-something. Th-the one s-suffering from the differences in o-our family…is you."

In a flash, several people had moved to stand between the two Hyuga. Several Jônin, including Hayate, surrounded the white-eyed boy, poised to intercept if he chose to move further and kill his cousin. Naruto, to the surprise of the adults standing with him, had his blade set and ready to slit Neji's throat, his eyes icy.

"Sôten ni zase," Naruto whispered coldly as a pressure seemed to press down on the entire room, "Hyôrin—"

"That's enough, Naruto-kun," Kakashi stated calmly, his tone firm and brooking no argument. The pressure vanished as suddenly as it had appeared and Naruto turned his head, staring at his Jônin sensei with his frigid eyes.

A pained cough dragged Naruto's attention on to the Hyuga heiress, Hinata, as she fell backwards and, in an instant, he was by her side. Kakashi had to blink, wondering if the boy hadn't mastered some sort of speed related Jutsu.

"D-did I…?" Hinata coughed violently, small amounts of blood mixing with her saliva. Her sword had become a katana. Her eyes were closed. "D-did I do good…Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah," Naruto whispered soothingly, even knowing that she couldn't hear him. She'd lost consciousness barely a second after asking. "You did great."

Blood trickled from her mouth, alarming Naruto greatly. The only explanation was internal bleeding and considering the numerous internal injuries she had to be suffering from, she might not make it all the way to the hospital. He swore mentally, knowing there was nothing he could do.

"I wouldn't be so hasty, child," a soft voice said. Naruto's gaze jerked to his right, Hyôrinmaru's heavy snout hovering over his shoulder as the dragon took in Hinata's injured form. To Naruto's shock, the world had stopped and not a soul was moving or even breathing. "I will provide and manipulate the energy, all you have to do is move your hand where I tell you."

Naruto nodded quickly, desperate to save the girl so like himself. Instantly, the world started up again as Hyôrinmaru disappeared. No more than a second later, Naruto was flooded with a powerful feeling and his body felt lighter than air.

"Now," Hyôrinmaru's voice whispered softly, "unzip her jacket and take it off. The first place we must pay attention to is her heart."

Nodding almost imperceptibly, Naruto dutifully unzipped the girl's heavy jacket and brushed the flaps aside. He blushed slightly at the sight of her feminine assets, restrained only by a tight black shirt, but knocked the thought away as he rested his palm — glowing white — against her sternum.

"What are you doing?" Kurenai demanded from him hotly, but he ignored her, moving his hand further down to rest on her bruised stomach at Hyôrinmaru's command. Strangely enough, he could—and this confused him—_feel_ the damaged capillaries and taut smooth muscles heal under his fingers.

Once more, he moved his hand, delicately peeling her jacket off so as to reach her arms. He watched in amazement as the purpling flesh slowly returned to its natural cream color under his touch, until no sign of the bruises remained. The glow dissipated.

Turning his head slightly, Naruto leveled a glare at Neji as exhaustion slowly set in, growling out, "In the finals, you're going down."

Barely a second later, he collapsed backwards, unconscious and…snoring. Sighing in exasperation, Kakashi hefted his student onto his shoulder as medics carried away the Hyuga girl.

"Naruto-kun, your flames of youth are most passionate," Maito Gai said seriously, more to himself than anyone else. "Yoshi! If Hinata-san makes a full recovery, I will run around Konoha on my hands five hundred times! And if I can't do that, I'll scale the Hokage Monument with nothing but my teeth! And if I can't do that, I'll do one hundred thousand push ups using only my right index finger! Yoshi!"

"Gai-sensei!" Rock Lee cried excitedly. "Your youthful passions are overflowing! Yoshi!"

The ninth match was "**Gaara vs. Rock Lee**".

Lee's eyes blazed, "Yatta! It is finally my turn!"

Lee put up a good fight and was able to land a few good hits on Gaara, but Gaara was just too strong. In the end, Lee had shown that he could open the "Celestial Gates" and the power they held. But it wasn't any match for Gaara's sand, which crushed the bones in Lee's left arm and leg. He was carried off on a stretcher, the medics saying he wouldn't be able to be a shinobi ever again.

The last match was "**Akimichi Chouji vs. Dosu Kinuta**".

Chouji lost pretty quickly. He simply couldn't win against Dosu's sound techniques. Even with his "Baika no Jutsu" and his "Meat Tank" he wasn't able to win against the Oto-nin.

"Now then," Sandaime stood in front of the remaining examinees, "each of you will draw a piece of paper from the box Anko-san is holding. This will decide who faces who in the finals."

Kakashi drew one for his sleeping student and one for his hospitalized student: Naruto: 1

Sasuke: 4

Dosu: 8

Shikamaru: 9

Temari: 7

Kankuro: 5

Gaara: 3

Neji: 2

Shino: 6

Ibiki showed them a chart. It depicted the opponents for the Finals.

Match One: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyuga Neji

Match Two: Sabaku no Gaara vs. Uchiha Sasuke

Match Three: Kankuro vs. Aburame Shino

Match Four: Dosu Kinuta vs. Temari

Match Five: Match Four victor vs. Nara Shikamaru

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

When Naruto awoke, something fuzzy was tickling his nose and his arms were thrown over something large and wide. Blearily, he opened his eyes to see the gravity defying white hair of his Jônin sensei and the cobblestone streets of his home village, Konohagakure no Sato. He blinked, mumbling weakly, "Huh?"

"Oh, Naruto-kun," Kakashi glanced back at him, adjusting the boy's position on his back, "you're awake. Good."

"Un?" Naruto answered lamely. "What…happened?"

"I didn't know you could forget that kind of thing," Kakashi said calmly, his tone monotonous. "After all, several people are wondering how you managed to heal such severe injuries when you yourself know nothing about medical ninjutsu. Kurenai-san was livid."

"Don't…know," Naruto muttered, resting his pounding head against Kakashi's shoulder. "Hyôrinmaru…told me what to do…"

"Hyôrinmaru?" Kakashi posed, hiding his shock. "Your sword told you how to heal someone?"

"Not just…a sword," Naruto loosed a jaw-cracking yawn. "He's a dragon, too. Tenten-san said something about…sealed in a sword."

"Oh?" Kakashi asked. "And this sword, this dragon, Hyôrinmaru, where did you get him? How long have you had him?"

"Forever," Naruto said tiredly. "According to him…he's been with me forever. He's only been a sword since the second part of the exam."

Kakashi frowned, he was getting mixed signals, "Are you sure he's safe, Naruto-kun? Are you sure he's a dragon? Are you sure he's not…" Kakashi silently braced himself for the question, "the Kyûbi?"

"No, he's…dragon all right," the blond mumbled. "Seen him and everything. Said something 'bout being my sword and shield. Whatever that means."

Kakashi remained silent as Naruto's apartment came into view, unsure of how to take this new information. It was hard to trust his student when it came to this matter, simply because the demon fox sealed in the boy's belly was very strong and old. It had undoubtedly picked up quite a few tricks and methods of deception.

He wanted to trust Naruto. He wanted to trust that his student knew what he was talking about and that everything was actually okay. It was just very hard to believe that the boy had some sort of guardian dragon now, one that could actually be used as a weapon. It was like something out of a fairytale.

Ninja didn't believe in fairytales. Ninja believed in cold hard facts, undeniable truths, and what they could gather using their own senses. Good ninja even questioned the possible falsehood of these things. After all, genjustu was the art of illusion and sensory deception. Hatake Kakashi was a good ninja.

There weren't many alternative possibilities, though, and that alarmed Kakashi. Naruto had confirmed, almost beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Kyûbi was not involved at all. Sasuke was given the Curse Mark by Orochimaru during the second exam. The only possibility that fit in the realm of reality, besides the one that Naruto was telling the truth, was that Orochimaru had given Naruto the sword.

That was an even more absurd likelihood, simply for the fact of who Naruto was. Beyond the fact that Naruto was the child with the nine-tailed fox sealed inside him, he was also the son of the Yondaime Hokage, the one person Orochimaru hated above all else. The Hebi Sennin would not take an interest in the child of his most hated enemy, the man who had "stolen" the position he had wanted above everything.

That meant that Naruto wasn't lying, he was telling the truth. It wasn't the Kyûbi manipulating him either, because the demon fox lacked any form of control over the world outside of the seal that bound him. What it all boiled down to was that Hyôrinmaru really was a dragon and a sword.

The question was the how. The existence and dual identity of Hyôrinmaru was new and unprecedented. There had never before been a sword capable of sentient thought, nor had there ever been a dragon that could _become _a sword (mostly because there also weren't any dragons). What Naruto had…was revolutionary. Kakashi knew, though, that revolutionary abilities like this were usually guarded and bred into clans by the Council of Fire.

For now, he would keep his mouth shut. If word got to the Council that Naruto possessed some kind of bloodline, they would probably run an insurmountable number of tests on his blonde student, regardless of what harm they did to the boy. Because of the demon fox's presence inside him, Naruto was nothing more than a slab of meat to the old men and women of the Council.

So long as he drew breath, Kakashi wouldn't let them treat his sensei's legacy in such a manner. He owed a great deal to the Fourth Hokage and he wasn't about to let such a thing happen to the only child of his father figure. If for no other reason, he was going to protect Naruto.

Gently shifting his cargo, he eased open the blonde's apartment door, nearly wincing as the hinges squeaked. Naruto was out cold, however, and didn't even stir at the obnoxious noise. He silently breathed a sigh of relief, slipping his sandals off as he walked into the small flat. His eyes adjusted immediately to the darkness within as he looked around.

It took him a minute, but he found what he was looking for and opened to door to the boy's bedroom. Thankfully, it didn't squeak or creak even the tiniest bit as he eased it from its closed state. Gently, he set the blonde down on the futon unrolled in the center of the room.

He slowly pulled to blonde's sandals off, setting them up against the wall next to the door. He reached to take the sword off of his student's back, but a cold chill ran down his spine as his fingers neared the hilt and he immediately thought better of it. He pulled the covers up, tucking them under boy's chin.

A sudden feeling of guilt and longing struck him and he backed up, gazing at Naruto sadly as he quietly closed the door. He deftly maneuvered his way through the darkness, locking the front door as he left. With one last backward glance, he vanished in a swirl of leaves.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto rubbed his eyes, slowly standing up. His sandals sunk in the snow, but no feeling of coldness reached him as the white fuzz buried his toes. He looked around, only to discover he had once more returned to the world of Hyôrinmaru. He blinked, wondering just why he was back.

"You're here," the dragon's voice said calmly, the beast swerving its long body around him. It twisted till it was looking him in the eyes, its lower body coiled around his feet and legs. "Tell me, child, do you know why you're here?"

"No," Naruto started, shaking his head, "I—"

His tongue froze mid motion as images flashed through his mind and in front of his eyes, reminding him of what he'd done. His glowing white hand resting on Hinata's chest, Hyôrinmaru hovering over his shoulder, his palm gliding over her smooth arms, and falling back into unconsciousness.

"That…energy," Naruto began slowly, his mind working a mile a minute, "what was it? It wasn't chakra."

"Good," the dragon cooed, its eyes narrowing slightly. "You've started to become more observant. You've started to behave more like a dragon. Like a shinobi."

Hyôrinmaru moved closer, until its snout was mere inches from his face. The two thin, long, fleshy feelers beneath its nostrils wavered in a nonexistent wind as it spoke, "As you well know, chakra is made of physical and spiritually energy perfectly blended, but did you know that you could separate those energies and use them individually?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he slowly shook his head. Hyôrinmaru continued, "Chi, or ki, is the body's physical energy, and, if used properly, can be used to supplement limbs and such. Because of its nature, chi is useful only for augmentation of physical movements. Chi cannot be used for direct attack.

"Reiryoku, however, or 'spirit energy', is what allows chakra to be channeled for Jutsu. By itself, Reiryoku has several uses that can be helpful to the life of a shinobi. The easiest example was how you healed that girl of such life-threatening injuries. Beyond that, Reiryoku can be used to form attacks and the like with which you can defeat your enemies. When it is not mixed into chakra, Reiryoku is incapable of molding the elements."

"I get what you're saying, Hyôrinmaru," Naruto started quietly, a confused gleam in his gaze, "but what's the point of telling me? _I _don't know how to manipulate Reiryoku, so how's it going to help me?"

Hyôrinmaru grinned, baring his large, sharp teeth, "Quite simple, actually. _You_ may not know how, but that does not mean you are incapable of _learning._"

Naruto's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, a ghost of a grin stretching at his lips, "You mean…?"

The dragon's grin widened, "Tomorrow, you will seek out that white-haired teacher of yours and have him teach you during the afternoons. In the mornings, from dawn's first light till the sun has reached its midday zenith, _I _will be teaching you to mold and use your Reiryoku as a weapon."

"Really?" Naruto asked excitedly, his eyes sparkling as the dragon nodded. He thrust his arms into the air, his own grin threatening to split his face, "Yatta! This is going to be _so_ cool! Wait!"

He refocused back onto the dragon still coiled around his lower body, "Does this stuff require hand seals?"

As Hyôrinmaru shook his head, Naruto leapt into the air, whooping loudly. He laughed excitedly, "All right! I'm gonna be an awesome ninja! Ha! Take _that _Sasuke! You can't copy _my _Jutsu, because they don't use hand seals!"

Naruto grunted as the dragon knocked him to the ground with its tail, hitting the earth face first and making an imprint in the snow. The dragon sighed, more to himself than anything, "Good grief. I don't think I could have taken much more of that."

As the blonde stood, rubbing his head, the dragon leveled a glare at him, "You must learn to contain your excitement or else _nothing _I teach you will help. Shinobi are silent and cunning. You are beginning to understand and apply this concept, but you _must_ control such loud and annoying impulses."

Naruto nodded, thoroughly cowed. Hyôrinmaru cooed, "Good. Now…"

The dragon swiveled away, leaving Naruto to stand alone as it faced him, "Your training begins…immediately."

— **o.0.O.O.0.o —**

_**To be continued**_

**Note: As of recently, I have decided to revise and edit Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens. Some chapters will be very lightly edited, some will get a complete overhaul. The major events, for the most part, will remain the same, but a good deal of minor events will be changed and altered for plot or quality purposes. **

**Also, while Crisis Core: The Azure Moon is this story's sequel, it should be read as a sort of "Part Two". Several important details, such as how Naruto came into possession of Hyôrinmaru, will not be revealed until much farther down the line. **

**James Earl Jones should be considered to be (who voiced Mufasa in the Lion King and played Terrance Mann in Field of Dreams) Hyôrinmaru's 'Voice Actor'. I think his voice is most fitting for our favorite dragon.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach**

_**Soar in the Frozen Sky…**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**_**(Signature best viewed in **_Wendy Medium_** font style)**


	2. Storm Center

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Two: Storm Center  
— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

It had taken him a while and more than a little bit of asking and eavesdropping, but Naruto had finally come upon the information he'd been looking for. When he'd set out in the morning, he hadn't figured it'd be so hard to find two very special people amongst the shinobi populace. He figured it wouldn't have taken him more than a half an hour, tops.

Unfortunately, it had wound up taking him nearly three hours just to come across the information he'd been seeking. He probably would have had better luck just sending clones to search the village. He probably would have cut the time it took for him to search in half. All he'd had to do was listen to his instincts.

If he had listened to what his mind was telling him to do instead of what he figured Sakura would tell him to do, he would have accomplished his set goal much earlier. Things would have been much easier on him and he would have finished his task at eight o'clock instead of the current time, ten forty-six.

Finally, after searching for the location of Hinata and Sasuke, Naruto walked through the glass doors of the hospital. He walked up to the receptionist's desk, asking for the room numbers belonging to the two people he that wanted to visit.

The reception he got wasn't what he was expecting.

"What?" he demanded angrily. "What do you mean? Why not?"

"I'm sorry," she told him, only sounding half apologetic, "but Hyuga-sama is still unconscious and Sasuke-sama has been forbidden from having any visitors at all."

"Fine! I can't visit Sasuke-teme! At least let me visit…" his voice softened. "At least let me visit Hinata-chan."

The nurse blinked, then sighed, "Look, kid, I'd like to let you see her, but I'm not allowed."

"Why not?" Naruto demanded vehemently. "Why can't I visit Hinata-chan?"

The nurse opened her mouth to reply, but Naruto didn't give her the chance, "Are you one of _those_ people? The kind that spits at my feet when my back's turned? The kind that would drive a wooden stake through my heart just to see if I bleed?"

He slammed his fists down on the desk, his voice loud, "Well, I'm not going to sit here and take this! I'm going to find Hinata-chan even if I have to spend the whole day just looking for—!"

"Naruto-kun," a voice called calmly, "this is a hospital. You're supposed to be quiet."

"Oh!" Naruto spun around, instantly brightening. "Kakashi-sensei! Listen, there's something I wanted to ask you…"

"Maa maa," Kakashi held up a hand, stopping whatever Naruto had been about to say. "I know what you're going to ask and I'm sorry, but I can't train you."

Naruto froze, his eyes wide and a disappointed frown on his face, his lips parted in mid word. Kakashi recognized the symptoms immediately and knew that, were he not as old as he was, Naruto would be tearing up right now and ready to pout. He sighed.

"Look, Naruto-kun," Kakashi started, dreading the upcoming conversation, "were things so easy, I'd love to spend the next month training you. Unfortunately, not only am I completely inept at kenjutsu, I have to prepare Sasuke for his match against Gaara."

"You're training Sasuke-teme?" Naruto asked, his voice suddenly frigid. "Why the hell can't you train me?"

"I'd love to, Naruto-kun," Kakashi stated, trying to placate the blonde. "Now that you have such a powerful ice-type ability, I could show you some really awesome Suiton Jutsu. The only problem is…your opponent is a calm leaf ninja. Win or lose, nobody's dying."

Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Gaara, though, is totally unstable. I have to prepare Sasuke for a fight against that maniac and, even then, I'm not sure he'd win. You, on the other hand, would be a perfect match up."

"Why?" Naruto asked, honestly curious. Kakashi thought he could take down Gaara?

"Hyôrinmaru," Kakashi stated, as if that explained everything. "Since he is a water and ice type ability, he'll make it much harder on Gaara to manipulate his sand. That would give you an amazing advantage and I have very few doubts that you'd fail to capitalize on it."

"Then why can't you—?" Naruto began, his voice something of a whine.

"Look, Naruto-kun," Kakashi interrupted, holding out a scroll, "this is a Jutsu scroll. On it is Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu. I've found you an instructor to be my replacement and he's going to teach you chakra control. Whenever he feels you've gained enough control, he'll give you another, much more powerful Suiton Jutsu scroll."

Naruto nodded, his eyes wide. It wasn't exactly the training he'd been looking for, but considering the options Kakashi had left him with, Hyôrinmaru was urging him to take the offer. His control sucked horribly, he knew that, and it had become much worse after Orochimaru had sealed off the demon fox.

Yet, he was stronger because of Orochimaru's little trick. Had the snake Sennin not blocked him off from the Kyubi, he doubted he would have found Hyôrinmaru any time soon. If there was one thing good to come of that meeting, Hyôrinmaru was it.

"Kakashi-san," Naruto looked towards the voice, only to find a man he easily recognized. A bit of dread filled him as her realized just who Kakashi's replacement was going to be.

"Ah, Ebisu-san," Kakashi nodded. "I was just explaining things to Naruto. Listen, did you get those scrolls…?"

"Hai," Ebisu nodded, adjusting his sunglasses slightly. "As per your instructions, I'll give him one Suiton scroll whenever I feel he has enough control to perform the Jutsu inside effectively."

"_He_'s going to teach me?" Naruto asked numbly, disbelief tainting his voice. "The closet pervert?"

"Oh!" Kakashi smiled at him. "So you know each other? This makes things easier!"

"Know each other?" Naruto echoed hollowly. "I beat this guy in five seconds, with two Jutsu!"

"Really?" Kakashi asked, feigning interest. Ebisu was the only one, besides perhaps himself, Jiraiya of the Sannin, and the Sandaime Hokage, that could properly teach Naruto. Since Ebisu was the only one available, it had to be Ebisu that taught Naruto.

"Ah, ah!" Ebisu seemed to teleport next to Naruto, clasping his hand over the boy's mouth. "He's just kidding, right, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto glared.

"I may not be a great fighter," the man hissed at his blond captive, "but I'm an _elite_ tutor. Teaching is my specialty. I can teach you things that'd make Sasuke-san's head spin."

Naruto's eyes seemed to widen, then he nodded enthusiastically. Ebisu smiled in a disarming way, "We'll be fine, Kakashi-san! See you later!"

In a swirl of leaves, Ebisu and Naruto disappeared, leaving Kakashi to blink at their strange antics. Shrugging, he pulled out his little orange book and headed towards Sasuke's room.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto couldn't help but stare.

Steam rose into the air as tiny wisps of vapor, slowly disappearing into the atmosphere. Water sloshed gently against rocks that contained it, but not one drop escaped the confines of the natural pool. Even several feet away, Naruto could feel the heat radiating from the pond.

Despite the inviting atmosphere, Naruto had to wonder why he was there. He was supposed to be training, wasn't he? That had been the impression he'd gotten when Ebisu had promised to teach him things that would wow even Sasuke. And the first thing the elite teacher had done was make him read Kakashi's scroll.

So why were they here, standing in front of a hot spring, an onsen, next to a wall? A wall behind which he could hear many giggling girls as they bathed away their daily worries?

"Why?" Naruto asked, confused. "Why are we here?"

"The first thing we're going to do is test you, Naruto-kun," Ebisu told him. "Since you are learning Suiton Jutsu, you are going to need a source of water. What I want you to do, Naruto-kun, is produce exactly five Mizu Bunshin. You have two tries."

Nodding, Naruto stepped next to the hot spring and focused his chakra, his hands in a seal. He cried, "Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Around him, seven water clones sprung into existence, each an identical copy of the original. Frowning, he dispersed them all, watching as they splashed back into water and made several puddles on the ground. Focusing again, he added less chakra than the first time, "Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Two water clones appeared this time, Naruto's frustrated frown growing as he realized just how horrible his chakra control had to be. As his two doppelgangers splashed to the ground, Ebisu walked towards him.

"Since it seems that your control is severely lacking," Ebisu said in a lecturing tone, "we'll have to rectify the problem. What you're going to be doing, Naruto-kun, is walking on water."

Naruto stared at him for a second, momentarily speechless, "…what?"

"Kakashi-san has told me that you already know the tree climbing exercise," Ebisu stated, proudly walking out onto the hot spring. "This is the next step up. Try it for yourself."

Tentatively, with Hyôrinmaru hissing instructions into his ear, Naruto channeled Chakra to his feet and walked out onto the surface of the heated pond…only to plummet straight to the bottom. Yowling painfully, Naruto jumped from the pool faster than Ebisu could see and landed straight up on the ground.

As he got over the burning sensation on his flesh, he set his sword down, mumbling an apology to the dragon for letting that happen. Steel and water didn't mix very well and, though Naruto was aware that Hyôrinmaru was no ordinary blade, he didn't want to risk letting his precious weapon rust.

Taking off his orange jacket, Naruto channeled chakra again and took a slow step out onto the surface. It stayed and he smiled, confidently putting his other foot forward as he began to walk atop the water. On that second step, however, he once more fell straight into the water.

Screaming in pain as the water burned him, he leapt up from it and landed once more on dry land. He hissed as the cool air rubbed roughly against his sensitive skin, waiting for it to turn back to its pale pink. It only took a few seconds, but during that time, Hyôrinmaru took the opportunity to chastise him for being so hasty.

"Take it slowly," the dragon told him. "Speed will earn you nothing in the end. Patience is the driving force behind success. Remember, Naruto, _think_ like a dragon."

Calming his frustration, Naruto focused his chakra once again and stepped out onto the water. His feet held as he walked steadily towards his temporary tutor, confident that he had this new skill down. Barely a second later, he fell into the hot water again, crying his anger and pain to the sky.

Shaking his head in amusement, Ebisu looked past the boy at the fence opposite their section. His eyes widened; there was an old man with long white hair staring through a small hole in the fence, giggling like a schoolgirl. Ebisu fixed his glasses, scowling.

"I don't know who you are," he said, quietly at first, "BUT I WILL NOT ALLOW SUCH SHAMEFUL AND DISHONORABLE BEHAVIOUR!"

Ebisu rushed forward, his gaze stony as he focused on the indecent man in front of him. He glared at the pervert who simply ignored him in favor giggling, raising his fist to teach the man a lesson.

There was a poof of smoke and, before he could react, a long tongue shot out and hit him, knocking him away. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

"Be quiet," the older man said sternly, perched atop a large toad, "you don't want me to get caught, do you?"

Naruto stared for a second, then felt anger bubbling up inside his chest, "You idiot! Now what am I supposed to do?"

He threw his hands up in exasperation, "It was bad enough that the snake freak messed up my chakra with some sealing Jutsu, but you had to come along and knock out my instructor!"

"Snake freak?" the old man echoed curiously. "What do you mean? Where did he hit you?"

"Some guy in the second exam," Naruto sighed. "He did this weird thing with his fingers then hit me in the stomach."

"I see," the old man said pensively, rubbing his chin. "Lift your shirt and channel some chakra. I think I have a solution."

"Whatever," Naruto mumbled, lifting his shirt as the man's fingers began to glow. He was hit by surprise, then the old man's fingers, when the five digits slammed into his stomach.

"Gogyo Kain!" the old man called. After a second, he pulled his hand back to look at his work. The five-pronged seal that had overlapped the original seal faded away into nothingness. "There. Now try the water walking skill."

Listening to the old man, Naruto took a delicate step onto the water. When it held, he took another step, then another and he didn't fall in. Confident from his success, he walked at a faster speed until he was running around the small spring. He nearly yelled excitedly when he didn't fall in at all.

The old man started to walk away, thinking he would slip past the boy's notice. He had no such luck as Naruto shouted, "Hey, don't think you're off the hook! This guy was supposed to be my teacher! Now _you're_ going to have to fill that role!"

"No way!" the old man yelled back. "I, Jiraiya the Gama Sennin, don't have time to baby-sit a brat like you! Besides, you already learned what he was teaching you!"

"Nuh uh!" Naruto called back, forming a hand seal. Five Mizu Bunshin stood around him, "He was supposed to teach me some really cool Suiton Jutsu whenever my control was good enough!"

"Fine!" Jiraiya said angrily. "You want a Suiton Jutsu? Suiton: Suiryuudan!"

A dragon rose up from the hot spring behind Naruto, who panicked as it leered at him. He rushed to the shore, unsheathing his sword as the water dragon barreled towards him. He stabbed his sword forwards, into the dragon's mouth as he cried, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

Instantly, before Jiraiya's surprised eyes, the dragon of water froze into a solid mass. Naruto twisted his sword and the dragon cracked and splintered before it shattered into thousands of pieces. With flourish, Naruto sheathed his sword.

When he had used the Suiryuudan, Jiraiya hadn't intended to harm the boy — far from it. The Jutsu had only been pumped with enough chakra to soak the blond and knock him off his feet. He didn't think the kid could counter it, or that if he could, he would be too shocked to do so in time.

The moment he'd seen the boy, Jiraiya knew who he was. It was hard not to. He would have had to be blind not to recognize the kid with the nine-tails stuck in his stomach. He would have had to be blind not to recognize his prized student's only child. The boy had spiky blond hair and blue eyes. No matter who you were, if you were from Konoha, you would recognize those traits.

At first glance, Jiraiya had considered training the boy, as he had the kid's father. He'd decided against it in the end. It would bring back too many happy memories that would just end up making him sad and depressed. Even now, nearly thirteen years after the Yondaime's death, it was still an open and sore wound.

Any part of him that had wanted to train the boy had died as soon as the blonde had used Mizu Bunshin and told him he was learning Suiton. Learning Suiton Jutsu meant that the kid's chakra had an affinity for water. The problem with that is that Jiraiya's didn't, so he couldn't teach him as much about Suiton as Sarutobi.

But now…the dragon had turned to ice after being struck by Naruto's sword. To turn something to ice, you needed both a water and wind affinity in your chakra. The sword just seemed to be a tool; a chakra blade used to cast techniques without hand seals and at a short distance.

Jiraiya grinned. This kid was pretty interesting.

"Okay, kid," he said, a cocky grin on his lips, "I think I'll train you after all."

"You will?" Naruto asked excitedly, eyes shining with hope.

"Yeah," he said, crossing his arms. "After all, as one of the Sannin, I know more about Suiton than anyone in this village — save the Hokage."

"You do?" Naruto's face split into a large grin and Jiraiya immediately knew he had a disciple in the arts of ninjutsu.

"Yeah," he said confidently. "Now, come on. Let's take this to a more appropriate place; one with lots more water."

Secretly, to himself, Jiraiya smirked. Hook, line, sinker.

"Come on, Ero-sennin!" Jiraiya almost froze at the nickname, watching as Naruto ran down the road. This brat…he might be more trouble than he was worth.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sound of rushing water flowed past his senses, the smell of the liquid permeating his nostrils. The grass, taller than normal, tickled his bare toes incessantly. The wind blew gently, tousling his spiky hair. He grinned, excitement flowing through him.

They had traveled to a river, one that Naruto hadn't even known existed. It was atop a waterfall that emptied into a pond that girls seemed to like to swim in, so Naruto could guess why Jiraiya had chosen this particular river. Still, the old man was going to teach him, so he wasn't going to complain.

"Right!" Jiraiya clapped his hands together. "I've already showed you the hand seals, so let's see how good you are at Suiryuudan."

"Un!" Naruto nodded, flashing through hand signs numbering in the dozens. He stopped on bird, watching as the river churned unnaturally. A beast's head began to form, sucking the water from its surroundings, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

A winding dragon leapt from the water, twisting and turning in the air before it crashed back into its source. The river returned to normal, as if nothing had even happened. Jiraiya nodded, satisfied, "Good. Good. Now, let's try it while you're walking on the river."

Nodding, Naruto took a step out onto the water, standing atop it without trouble. The river around his feet rippled slightly, but showed no sign of letting him fall through. Slowly, he walked to the center, making sure that the current wouldn't push him downstream. With a great deal more concentration, he went through the hand seals again, calling, "Suiton: Suiryuudan!"

Much more slowly than it initially had, the dragon of water formed in front of him, it's gaping maw snarling. It jumped from the river surface towards an imaginary enemy standing a good distance away from the blonde, then sunk back into the water as it hit its nonexistent target.

"Alright," the elder man muttered. It had taken him longer the second time than it had the first. "Again."

Naruto went through the hand seals once more, much faster than the second time. The dragon rose for a third time, marginally faster than either the first or second attempt. With a silent roar, the dragon dove into the river again a great distance away. It collided with a loud splash, throwing water up and out several feet.

Jiraiya couldn't help but marvel at the power the kid had, mentally whistling as the third dragon dissolved back to its base element. Even elite Jônin from the Hidden Mist Village could only manage one or two before the chakra consumption started to affect them. But Naruto had pulled off three without even breathing heavily.

"Good," Jiraiya nodded. "Now we're ready to move on to the next thing I have to teach you: Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

In a blur, Naruto was at Jiraiya's side, grinning eagerly. Clearing his throat, Jiraiya continued, his voice lecturing, "For this technique, however, you're going to need more than your normal amount of chakra. You've felt your secondary chakra, right? That's what you're going to have to use."

Naruto shook his head, "Sorry, Ero-sennin, but I'm not going to use Fluffy's power. If I use it like you're suggesting, then I'll become dependent on it, and my own power will grow weak. I'm not going to call on Kyubi's chakra."

"What?" Jiraiya asked incredulously, his expression surprised. "Who taught you that? It's ridiculous! Why have all that power locked away if you're not going to use it?"

Naruto's eyes grew cold, "That is the Way of the Dragon, Ero-sennin. Rely on your own power and the power of your friends, get stronger through hard work, and take no shortcuts. Be wise both in life and in battle and use force only when necessary. That is the Way of the Dragon. It's the principle I've dedicated my life to."

"Good, child," Hyôrinmaru cooed, whispering in his ear. "You are learning well what I have taught to you. This is the path you walk: the path of wisdom, the path of the protector. Do not let any sway you from its course."

"Alright," Jiraiya sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "If you're that serious about it, I guess we can just use your normal chakra. If we can build it up high enough, you won't need the fox's chakra."

Naruto nodded, his expression suddenly cheery again. Jiraiya scratched his head, wondering if the boy was bipolar. Shrugging, he bit his thumb and went through hand seals, "Right. First, I'll show you how."

He thrust his palm to the ground, several chains of kanji spreading over the rocks beneath his feet. There was a puff of smoke and standing beneath Jiraiya was a large toad slightly taller than the man himself. In its mouth was a scroll, the toad's tongue unrolling to drop it on the ground.

"Write your name in blood, like those written before you," Jiraiya commanded as Naruto unraveled the scroll. "The seals are boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram. In order to summon, you must spread a little blood on the hand you used to sign your name on the scroll."

The blonde looked over the names written in blood on the large scroll, recognizing only a few of them. Jiraiya's was easy to see, written in large and fancy penmanship. To the right were several unfamiliar names, each one older and more archaic than the last. To the left of the Gama Sennin's, though, was a name that Naruto had memorized a long time ago: Namikaze Minato. It was the Fourth Hokage.

That was all the endorsement he needed. Naruto couldn't help the grin that split his face as he bit into his right thumb, going just deep enough to draw blood. Carefully, he signed his name on the scroll using that blood, then dabbed each of his fingers with it. He pressed the tips of the fingers on his right hand against the thick rice paper, knowing that they would leave an impression.

Naruto rolled to scroll back up, watching as the toad pulled it back into its mouth and disappeared. Jiraiya fell back to the ground with a soft clatter, hands on his hips as he looked at the blonde boy expectantly. Nodding, the blond bit his thumb and swiped it over his right palm, flashing through the hand seals required.

Thrusting his hand down, spider web chains of kanji spread from the point of contact. There was a puff of smoke, the wind blowing it away quickly. As it cleared, Jiraiya looked, somewhat shocked, as Naruto appeared from within it, riding atop a toad as tall as himself. Jiraiya scratched his chin absentmindedly, a giddy feeling rising up in his stomach.

A grin stretched across his face as he began to giggle slightly, the prospect before him exciting him beyond belief. Thirteen years after his previous star student had died, he had found a new student, one nearly as capable as the Fourth Hokage. This boy, a no-talent loser according to the Academy records, had so much potential that he almost couldn't believe it.

What seemed even more unbelievable was that no one had noticed. This blond brat had the potential to surpass all of the Hokage to date, even his own father, the Yondaime. The amount of chakra his body held was staggering and he never seemed to tire, despite the strain that normal Jônin level ninja would be suffering under identical conditions.

What was more, the kid already had two affinities, ones that could be combined to create something much more powerful. He was also the perfect match up against the Uchiha Sasuke Jiraiya had heard so much about. While the blonde's wind chakra would be weak against the Uchiha's fire, his water chakra would easily overcome Sasuke's affinity. By combining both, he got rid of the wind's weakness to fire and could turn whole battlefields to his advantage.

The Gama Sennin almost trembled in giddy anticipation. This kid really _was_ interesting.

"Alright," Jiraiya said, watching the toad disappear, "that's enough for today. Go home and get a good night's rest. Meet me here tomorrow after noon. Remember to eat some lunch."

And, with a puff of smoke, Jiraiya vanished.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun rose over the easterly trees, painting the sky in brilliant tones of red, orange, yellow, and pink. The dark, navy blue sky steadily turned to a delicate azure, puffy white clouds decorating it. The trill of morning birds lilted in the air, singing a serenade of peace to the world. Few were awake, save for those dedicated to their training, despite their questionable sanity.

"Gai-sensei!" a voice called in the distance.

"Lee!" came the answer.

"_Focus,"_ Naruto told himself calmly, feeling the dragon's eyes on the back of his head. _"Focus the energy. Circulate it to your hand, gathering it within the palm and fingers. Let it grow."_

Pure energy spiraled through his body, flowing freely through his limbs. It rose through him, from his toes all the way to the roots of his hair. The feeling was invigorating and left him feeling invincible, as though nothing earthly could touch him. It was as if he was some higher being capable only of being defeated by the stars themselves. He breathed in and the universe was at his beck and call

As the energy rushed through his cells and molecules, he grasped for it, preparing to shape it for its purpose. It slipped from his fingers several times, gliding over his mental palms like sand over the desert. It would not be tamed and Naruto began to feel the slight chill in the air as it took on a mind of its own. Concentrating, Naruto grabbed it, refusing to let go.

It stuck this time and he opened his shining eyes, calmly aiming his hand at a tree. With but a slight push, the energy gathered as he told it to in the palm of his hand. Tonelessly, he said, "Hadô no Sanjuusan: Sôkatsui."

A violent discharge was the only warning that Naruto had before the ball of blue power leapt from his hand, soaring at amazing speeds towards its target. The poor tree had no chance and neither did the six trees beside it or the dozen trees behind it. All nineteen trees were incinerated by the blast, naught but ashes to remain.

"Wow," Naruto grinned, looking down at his normal fingers with excitement. "That was amazing! And it was only number thirty-three!"

Naruto grasped at the energy again, forming it in the tip of his right index finger, saying, "Now for number four!"

The power gathered again, arcing over his body and through his arm, converging at his fingertip. He continued to push it towards that one point, waiting for the right amount to have gathered. He waited as it festered and grew, his finger beginning to glow brightly. Finally, as the power reached an apex, he called, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai."

A bolt of white lightning leapt from his finger, soaring outward at an amazing speed. It struck the tree he had been pointing at, blowing a wide hole straight through its large and thick trunk. Several trees behind, nearly a dozen by his count, suffered the same fate, creaking dangerously as their support faltered. With a crash, they all fell to the earth, never to bloom again.

"Do you see, Naruto-kun?" Hyôrinmaru asked, locking gazes with him. "The power of Reiryoku?"

"Yeah," he said, awe decorating his voice, "it's awesome! You sure do know quite a bit about this kind of stuff, Hyôrinmaru! At this rate, I'll be Hokage before I know it!"

"Indeed," the dragon commented amusedly. It turned its head away. "That's enough practice for now. Let's move on. Have you finished your little project?"

"I'm close," Naruto said, scratching his head sheepishly. "I've figured most of the stuff out, but I need to find a way to make it summon _you_. So far, it doesn't summon anything."

"I must congratulate you," Hyôrinmaru said, his voice filled with paternal praise. "This idea was quite crafty and cunning. Many would call it a very fox-like idea. I say it is an idea worthy of a dragon."

"Thanks," Naruto laughed happily. "I took one look at Ero-sennin's summoning scroll and decided to make one for you. Toads are nice and all, but they're just not suited for my abilities. So I'll just summon you. See, the way I figure, since it's a time-space Jutsu, I can summon anything that doesn't fully exist in the realm of reality."

Hyôrinmaru nodded, "To come up with such a thing after seeing it only once is quite admirable. I have no doubt that you will succeed."

Somehow, Naruto could tell that the dragon was looking at him out of the corner of its eye, "When you do, I have quite an interesting skill to teach you."

A shiver of anticipation traveled down Naruto's spine, raising tiny bumps all over his arms. He wasn't sure if the shiver of anticipation was one of eagerness or if it was of an ominous origin. The latter seemed much more plausible because of the icy block that had suddenly lodged itself in his stomach.

Hyôrinmaru rarely called something interesting. Considering how knowledgeable the dragon was, there wasn't much that it could claim was interesting. There were several things that it took an interest in, but it never used such a word to describe those things. He preferred to call it a healthy dose of curiosity.

If it was a technique he was teaching Naruto, he always made it seem insignificant to him, but very important to the blonde boy. He used all sorts of words and phrases to entice him into learning, but interesting had never been one of them. If he was using it to describe something, that something had to be beyond cool.

Naruto called Sasuke's fire Jutsu cool. Hyôrinmaru scoffed at them, claiming that such skills were easily learned and acquired by anyone with an attention span. Naruto called Rock Lee's speed and Taijutsu awesome. Hyôrinmaru chastised him for admiring the boy's abilities when he could be working towards acquiring them for himself. Naruto thought Kakashi was one of the best. Hyôrinmaru assured him that there were better.

So for Hyôrinmaru to call something interesting, it had to be beyond powerful. It had to be even more powerful than the destruction spells the dragon was teaching him to use. It had to be stronger than Kakashi's signature move.

Naruto shivered again. He was either really lucky or in deep shit.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto stood shakily, panting as sweat rolled down his cheeks and nose, his blue eyes drooping slightly. The water around him churned as yet another dragon dissolved into it, splashing the riverbanks harshly. He fought to stay atop the surface as the movement of the water body compromised his footing.

"Again!" came the command and Naruto obeyed. He flashed through the hand seals, stopping on bird and watching as the water in front of him swirled and rose to form a dragon. It seemed to roar as it jumped forwards at an invisible target. It crashed back into the river, causing turbulence over the surface. He struggled to stay atop.

After his success at Summoning, Jiraiya had decided that it would be best to hammer out his skills in Suiton by making him practice till he dropped. Along with Suiryuudan, the old man had taught him Daibakufu no Jutsu and Suijinheki and had him practice them alongside it. The old man was determined to make him a Suiton master before the Chûnin Exam Finals. For the three weeks he'd been training under the elder shinobi, he'd become quite proficient in water style techniques.

Jiraiya wasn't the only one training him in Jutsu. After Naruto had perfected several of the spells he'd been teaching the blonde, Hyôrinmaru had started to have Naruto recreate Jutsu he'd seen before. Specifically, he had Naruto recreate techniques that Haku had used during their battle on the bridge.

So far, he'd managed to teach himself Haku's Sensatsu Suisho, something he'd only caught a glimpse of during the fake hunter ninja's skirmish with Sasuke, and how to perform certain Jutsu using one-handed seals. Unfortunately, while Hyôton wasn't something that only Haku could use, the Makyou Hyôshyou was a bloodline limit related skill. He couldn't replicate it beyond forming the mirrors.

That's not to say that training was _all_ Naruto did. He had visited Hinata several times since the Preliminaries, more often than not stopping by the Yamanaka shop to buy some flowers for her. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he took a secret pleasure in seeing the Hyuga princess blush every time he came in her room with a bouquet in his hands.

He'd tried to visit Sasuke once, only to find that the Uchiha prodigy's bed was completely empty, as if no one had ever slept in it. He'd been confused for a second, wondering if maybe Orochimaru had stolen the boy in his sleep, before he'd taken a better look at the scene of the supposed crime. There was no sign of a struggle and no sign of more than one person being involved in his rival's escape. He'd nearly grinned. Sasuke had left on his own.

"Alright," Jiraiya called, halting his training as his fingers moved together almost on reflex, "that's enough. I'd say you've got this down pretty well. You've got five days until the Finals. Take that time to rest."

Nodding, Naruto staggered over to the riverbank, collapsing as soon as his feet hit dry land. His breath came out in short pants, his eyelids drooping as the exhaustion set in. Jiraiya chuckled slightly, amused that he'd finally found the boy's limits.

"I'll be back in half an hour," he told the kid, kneeling next to the blonde's head. "If you're still lying here then, I'll take you home myself."

In a puff of smoke, the man disappeared. Naruto sighed, rolling over onto his back to look up at the bright afternoon sky. He sighed again as his breathing began to even out, his body slowly regenerating the chakra he'd used up during his training. It had been intense, more so than any other training he'd ever done.

"You have progressed well," a familiar voice told him, a smooth, reptilian body lying next to his. "You've even finished that project of yours. Most impressive."

"I suppose," Naruto sighed again. "I just feel like there's something…missing. Like there's something more I need to learn. Something more that can make me stronger."

The dragon lifted its head to look at him, a serious gleam in its eyes, "I guess it's time, then."

Naruto arced his eyebrow, "What? Time for what? What's it time for?"

"You'd best rest up," the dragon evaded his question. "Come back here tomorrow and summon me. I'm going to teach you that technique I promised."

Once more, the block of icy dread dropped into his stomach, churning the acid there uncomfortably. Yeah, he was in deep shit.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The roar of rushing water pounded against his ears, the river splashing recklessly against the rocks as it headed for the waterfall. The long grass rose over the sides of his sandals, tickling the callused pads of his toes. The tangy scent of the water stung his nostrils, the smell wafting from the roaring river.

He stepped carefully, almost hesitantly, over the hard stones, gathering his wits and courage about him. He was stepping into the situation blind. He didn't know what was going to happen, but his gut feeling told him it wasn't something good. It was supposed to be a new technique, but something felt wrong about it.

Slowly, he bit his thumb, wiping the thick blood over his left palm. With a methodical pace, he went through each seal at a snail's pace, making sure it was correct. First boar, then dog, then bird, then monkey, then ram. He thrust his palm down, spider web chains of kanji spreading from the point of contact.

There was a large puff of smoke as Naruto felt a bit of vertigo, shooting up into the air. His feet stood atop something hard yet soft and smooth yet scaly, a sea of icy azure invading his vision. He felt his eyes widen to saucers as he realized the truth of the situation. He was standing atop a huge Hyôrinmaru, one at least a hundred times bigger than the one he knew.

"So, you managed," the voice was deeper, but it was still familiar. "I wonder, however, if you can manage the task I have set for you."

"Task?" Naruto asked confusedly. "What's this task?"

"As you know, by calling out the correct command along with my name, you can merge your power with mine," the dragon told him. "However, there is a level of power beyond that where you and I merge our powers much further. To accomplish this task, you must defeat me and claim my power for your own."

"What?" Naruto shouted in alarm. "Defeat you? How?"

"Don't worry, child," Hyôrinmaru placated, chuckling amusedly, "this is not direct combat. All you must do is defeat one challenge I will set for you."

"Challenge?" Naruto asked tentatively, slightly hesitant. He firmed his resolve from rubber to iron. "Okay. What's this challenge?"

"You have four days left before your finals," the dragon said calmly. "To achieve the next level of power, you must stay atop me for the next seventy-two hours straight. Do you accept this challenge?"

"Of course!" Naruto exclaimed, standing shakily. "This is only one step on the road to Hokage! If I can accomplish this, I'll be that much closer to my dream!"

"So be it," the dragon said solemnly.

With a jerk, Hyôrinmaru threw himself to the ground, writhing through the river like giant snake. Naruto let out a yelp as he nearly lost his footing, using chakra to grip tightly to the scales on the beast's back. Water rose up around him, soaking his clothes all the way down to his skin.

The dragon jerked again and Naruto gripped its scales with all his strength, desperate not to fall off. His grasp loosened, but he refused to let go. Gravity tugged on him hard, pulling him as hard as it could. Another wave of vertigo filled him.

"Gaaah!" Naruto cried, his fingers slipping slightly. "I should have known better than to do something like this!"

Hyôrinmaru leapt off the ground, sprouting wings that had previously been invisible. Naruto's eyes widened, "Oh, SHIT!"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Gaara walked quietly into the hospital room of Rock Lee, his bloodshot eyes staring intensely at the bleached white walls in front of him. He strode slowly, purposefully towards the bed containing the bandaged, spandex-wearing boy, his intent clear to anyone and anything capable of independent thought.

His open right hand shot outwards as his left jumped upwards, clenching at his head. Sand burst from his gourd, his breathing deep as it crept along the floors with a life of its own. It swirled slowly around Lee's bed, steadily creeping up onto the unconscious boy, attempting to cocoon him in a deadly coffin.

Suddenly, without warning, a fist came out of nowhere and collided solidly with his cheek, sending him sprawling backwards and to the floor. As the shock of being hit slowly wore off, Gaara straightened up, a small bit of his armor of sand flaking from his murderous face.

Naruto stood in front of him, his sword strapped to his back with a green sash. Replacing his jacket and the shirt beneath it was a zip-up, sleeveless, black turtleneck. It blended seamlessly with his new black pants and sandals. His eyes were icy blue and the room temperature seemed to drop, the air around the boy wavering with power.

Shikamaru stood not too far off, rubbing his cheek tentatively, "Ow! Damn it, Naruto, I feel what he feels, remember?"

"What are you doing?" Naruto ignored Shikamaru, a scowl on his face.

"To release so much killing intent," Shikamaru frowned seriously. "Why are you trying to kill Lee-san? Do you have some kind of grudge?"

"No," Gaara said, his voice monotonous. "I do not. It's not something that complicated. I'm going to kill him just because I want to."

"Oh yeah?" said Shikamaru, faking his cocky tone. "Well, we're not going to let you do that. I mean, hey, you're strong, but we were holding back in the prelims, too. Right now, two against one, you don't stand a chance."

"You get in my way and you are dead," Gaara seemed unfazed by Shikamaru's comment, his teal green eyes shining with hate.

"I'd like to see you try!" Naruto shouted, grasping the azure clothed hilt of his sword.

"Naruto," Shikamaru hissed at the blonde. "Shut up! This guy's a monster!"

"So?" Naruto hissed back. "I've got a _real_ monster in me! He's nothing!"

"A real monster, you say?" Gaara seemed slightly intrigued. "I was born a monster. I came into this world by taking the life of the woman I would have called mother. My father created me in order to be Suna's ultimate weapon. I was spoiled and allowed to do whatever I pleased. But starting around the time when I turned six, my father tried countless times to assassinate me."

"Wait," Shikamaru said in consternation. "I thought you said you were spoiled?"

"A being too strong can become an existence of fear," Gaara didn't really specify if that was his answer or if he was just continuing his story. "Everyone hated me and I found myself wondering why I went on with life. Why, then, do I exist? Why do I live? I could find no answer. But everyone needs a reason to live, or else it's the same as being dead. Finally, I came to this conclusion. 'I exist to kill everyone but myself.' As long as there are people for me to kill, I will not vanish."

"The Hell?" Shikamaru was surprised.

"Now," sand rose, gushing at high speed in the direction of Naruto and his companion. "Let me feel _alive—!_"

The sand suddenly fell to the floor as Gaara made eye contact with the dragon only he could see that was hovering over the blonde's shoulder, his face frozen in shock. Gaara doubled over, clenching his head with his hands and screaming, his sand writhing and twisting on the floor, as if in pain.

Slowly, the demonic sand ninja walked backward, heading towards the window, his sand following him obediently, as though a pathetic slave to him. His pain seemed to have lessened by the time he reached his goal, since he wasn't doubled over anymore, but he still appeared to be struggling with something.

"Regardless," he turned before he left, his right eye shut and his breathing labored. "I will kill you guys."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The crowd roared in excitement, eager to see the Chûnin hopefuls tear into one another. The volume in the arena was deafening and the Finals hadn't even started. Several people were making bets and odds continued to change and twist. Many nobles from lands far and wide sat in the stands, patiently awaiting their entertainment.

The Hokage sat up in his private box with the Kazekage from the Land of Wind, watching the entire proceedings with a neutral expression on his face. Several guards were stationed around him protectively, each standing at attention with a serious expression. Likewise, the Kazekage had many guards as well, each willing to give his or her life.

Shiranui Genma frowned as he looked over the competitors, the senbon between his lips twitching incessantly. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven of the candidates for Chûnin had showed up for the Finals. Neji, Naruto, Gaara, Kankuro, Shino, Shikamaru, and Temari were all accounted for. The only one missing was Uchiha Sasuke, the supposed "star" of the show.

For the most part, as far as Genma knew, the majority of the examinees hadn't changed at all appearance wise since the preliminaries. Neji still wore his pale, short sleeved jacket and black shorts, Gaara looked like he had several sets of that uniform he wore, Kankuro still wore his strange black jumpsuit with the cat-eared hood, Temari had her revealing dress-like thing on, and Shino and Shikamaru might as well have just come from the preliminaries.

Except Naruto. Naruto's appearance had changed drastically from his original orange jumpsuit, especially concerning the color. His sword was strapped to his back with a green sash, a bright golden lotus shaped clasp positioned on it just below his xyphoid process. Replacing his jacket and the shirt beneath it was a zip-up, sleeveless, black turtleneck. It blended seamlessly with his new black pants and sandals. His blond hair was longer as well.

Several strands of sun-kissed yellow fell over top of his hitai-ate, just long enough to cover the majority of the metal plate. The rest was even wilder and spikier than before, seemingly untamable by conventional means. Two locks of blonde fell on each side of his face right in front of his ears, reaching down to his lobes, if barely.

Genma had to hide his shock from the rest of the world and he had no doubt that many others did too. The boy in front of him, with that serious scowl on his face and his analyzing blue eyes narrowed, looked like the reincarnation of the late Fourth Hokage. Kakashi, Genma thought absently, was in for quite the surprise when he got back.

"Hey, Mr. Examiner," Genma blinked himself out of his thoughts, looking up to see Naruto's hand raised.

"Yeah?" he asked, trying to regain his composure.

"What happens if Sasuke's not here in time for his match?" came the question, still with that serious look on his face.

"Well," Genma's senbon twitched as he spoke, which Naruto thought was very dangerous, "if he's not here by the time his match is scheduled to begin, he'll lose by default and be disqualified."

Genma opened a pocket watch, looking at the time as Naruto nodded in understanding. He flipped it closed, "It's time to begin the Chûnin Selection Exam Finals. If everyone but Hyuga-san and Uzumaki-san would proceed to the stands, we can begin."

The other Genin nodded and left, Naruto and Neji the only ones standing in the arena. Genma nodded, "Alright."

He stepped up between the two boys, glancing at each of them for a few seconds, "You guys are up first, so make sure to put on a good show."

He made a motion with is hand, "Begin!"

Neji sneered at the blonde, dropping into the stance of the Hyuga's famous Juken, "I'll rejoice as I watch you fall to pieces when you discover reality."

Naruto scowled, his right hand reaching up to the hilt of his sword, "I'm ten times stronger than I was during the preliminaries."

Neji's upper lip curled, the veins around his eyes bulging as the Byakugan activated, "Ten times nothing is still nothing. You were fated to lose the moment I was chosen as your opponent."

Up in the stands, Kurenai was thinking, _"This match will decide the threat level Naruto-san poses to enemy ninja. If he can defeat Neji-san…he might just be able to defeat Shino-kun as well."_

"You say that now," Naruto said, his sword's sheath dissolving as he pulled out Hyôrinmaru, dashing for his enemy, "try saying it again after I've beaten you!"

Neji pulled out a kunai, blocking the strike with it. He was surprised as he struggled to keep up the block, his hand shaking under the pressure. Naruto's expression was serious, his blue eyes glinting icily.

"The fight's just started and I already have two advantages," Naruto told him, bringing his left hand up in a seal. "The first is the water vapor in the air. The second is that I've occupied one of your hands, preventing you from using Jutsu."

Slowly, the water in the air began to condense into several vague forms that slightly resembled senbon. They formed a sort of cage around him, surrounding him from all sides in a death trap. Calmly, Naruto named his technique, "Sensatsu Suisho."

The water needles rushed in, embedding themselves deeply in his body. Blood oozed and dripped, a small rivulet of it traveling down his chin. He looked up at the blonde in front of him, one eye half lidded, then vanished in a puff of smoke, replaced by a heavily skewered log.

Naruto twisted, bring his left arm up to block near his shoulder. A glowing palm soared past him, mere inches from his face, but Naruto didn't even flinch. The inside of Neji's elbow pressed lightly against his forearm. A smirk curled on Naruto's lips, "Try again, idiot!"

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as four glowing fingers sunk into his back painfully, not enough to break the skin but enough to feel as though they had. Foreign chakra flooded his body, threatening to shut down his kidneys. Then, with a splash of liquid, Naruto fell apart into a thick but shallow puddle of water, obviously not the real one.

Neji's own eyes went wide as the implications sunk in, forcing him to reevaluate his opponent's abilities. He'd been surprised when the blonde had pulled off a water technique using the vapor in the air, but to have a water clone, which was one tenth as strong as the original, do so was amazing. And he hadn't even been able to tell it was a water clone either.

This brought about many questions. When and where had the blond learned to use a foreign technique like Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu and from whom? How did he form a Mizu Bunshin using vapor in the air? How did he _learn _to do something like that and from whom? What other foreign Jutsu did he know?

Neji jumped to the side as a blue dragon soared towards him, its red eyes gleaming. It twisted around to follow him at the last second, but collided with ground, creating a large and long snake-like line of ice. He had seen the boy use this skill in the preliminaries, but that in no way prepared one to have it used on him or her. Above them, the sky darkened with black clouds.

That just brought even more questions, questions he should have asked the first time he had seen this beast. How did the blonde boy create a massive water dragon without any water around and then make it freeze on contact with something solid? Where did he learn to do something so complex and complicated with one technique? If it had been taught, who had taught him? Who even _knew_ how to do something like that?

This blond boy should be simple. He was an orphan that had joined the Academy to become a ninja. He took the graduation exam three times before he passed and he passed in an unorthodox method. He had no exceptional skills and had passed at the bottom of his class. He was a loser who had just barely graduated from the Academy. He should have been easy to beat.

The Uzumaki boy, however, was anything but simple and ordinary. He was adept at kenjutsu, even though no one had ever taught him to use a sword. That implied many different things, but it confirmed none of them for sure. He could also do something that only the Nidaime Hokage had been able to do and he had taken that ability farther as well.

That begged a question that many had thought they could answer easily. It raised a query that most hadn't even thought existed, simply because of who the blonde was. Surely, his personality disarmed any opinions that would think of him as powerful. But now, the question was, 'Who is Uzumaki Naruto?'

The blonde reappeared behind the large wall of ice, already going through hand seals. He stopped at tiger, pursing his lips as he raised his fingers to them. He blew and Neji could immediately place a name to the Jutsu, "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu."

A giant fireball was released, roaring towards Neji and easily three times the size of any other that the Hyuga prodigy had seen. It soared toward him and Neji could do nothing but watch as it came closer. Its form seemed to grow as it came nearer and the brunette half expected his life to flash before his eyes.

The fireball stopped short, colliding with the wall of ice. It pushed roughly for several seconds, before fizzing out into nothing. Neji was tempted to palm his face at the stupidity of the blonde, wondering himself why he'd thought the kid had any ability. That is, until the complexity of his opponent's plan was revealed.

The ice had melted but not evaporated, lying on the arena floor like a large puddle. The blonde went through more hand seals, which numbered somewhere in the dozens, before stopping on bird. The water on the ground churned and swirled, twisting into a terrible beast as Naruto called out the name of his Jutsu, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

A giant dragon of water roared to life, twisting upwards from the puddle the blond had just made. It locked its menacing gaze on him, baring its liquid fangs in a twisted and evil snarl as it leered at him. With a jerk of movement, it rushed for him in a torrent of water. Water that Neji had no doubt was boiling hot and painful.

"Tch," he scoffed, gathering chakra around himself. "I guess it has come to this."

He spun on his heel, creating a twister of himself. A dome of chakra formed around him, swirling to the time of his own spin, following his movements. The dragon crashed down on it, trying to break in to attack him. It splashed around his shield, splattering into nothing as his defense broke its form into nothing.

As both the dragon and his dome disappeared, a crater was left behind with Neji in the center, calmly declaring, "Kaiten."

"Hadô no Sanjuusan," the blonde's voice called, prompting Neji to look up. His opponent was gathering a large amount of energy in his palm, pointing at him, "Sôkatsui."

A burst of energy came at him faster than Neji could think to block, throwing his arms up in a makeshift defense. The blast collided with the ground in front of him, kicking up a cloud that would easily obscure anyone's vision. Neji nearly smirked as he caught onto the blonde's plan.

"That won't work," he called, scanning the arena. "My eyes are able see through even the densest of fogs. This cheap parlor trick doesn't give you any advantage."

Neji received no answer, so he continued, hoping to irk his opponent, "You should have targeted me with that blast. You'll regret not doing so. After all, you only get one miracle per battle and you just used yours up."

"You like to talk a lot, don't you?" a familiar voice asked from behind him. Neji turned around, barely dodging a stab aimed at his head. A shallow cut carved itself into his cheek, bleeding sluggishly. He jumped back, Naruto not moving at all.

"But how?" Neji asked, dumbfounded. "How did you get behind me without—?"

"—you seeing me?" Naruto finished for him. He smirked in a vulpine manner, "That first attack was merely a distraction to grab your attention. While you were busy blocking it and 'seeing through my trick', you failed to realize that I had fired a second attack at the ground the second the dust cloud had formed."

Neji's eyes went wide as Naruto continued, "That second attack was used to dig a hole for myself. From there, I had my shadow clones dig a tunnel until I was right beneath you. After that, I dug myself out and attacked you from behind faster than you would see me. It's called 'Shûnpo'. Now…"

The boy in front of him puffed away into smoke, leaving nothing behind as the voice of another Naruto called over to him, "What was that about one miracle per battle?"

Another dragon rushed toward Neji, who knew he couldn't dodge in time to avoid the brunt of the attack. He spun on his heel once more, turning himself into a twister of motion. He threw chakra from his entire body, watching as it spread out to create a large, impenetrable fortress. The dome spread, defending him from the attack.

The dragon crashed against his defense, splashing around the dome as it was torn to pieces by Neji's chakra shield. What was different about this time, however, was that the dragon didn't just fall apart into water. No, its entirety spread around the dome of energy, freezing in place as it was blocked by the Hyuga's Kaiten. Eventually, a dome of thick ice, trapping the boy inside of it replaced the dome of chakra.

"Now!" Naruto called, going through hand seals. The dome melted as he stopped, turning into thousands of water needles, "Sensatsu Suisho no Daikeimusho!"

"Shit!" Neji swore, spinning again as he gathered more chakra desperately. "Kaiten!"

With his last second defense, Neji managed to block the needles and prevent his demise, escaping from the attack without a scratch. As he tried to regain his breath, however, a blur flitted in front of his eyes, landing next to him with its back turned. A cold sensation ran down his spine as his hands snapped together in front of him.

"So, Neji," Naruto started lowly, "if I only get one miracle per battle, what's this?"

Neji looked down, still panting as his eyes widened to saucers. A chain tied his arms together at the wrists, too tight for him to do hand seals. They were also encased from the fingertips up to his elbows in ice, restricting his movements severely. He was also out of chakra. He'd…lost.

"You're out of chakra, Neji," Naruto said, looking at him out of the corner of his eye, "do you give up?"

Neji sighed.

"Mr. Examiner," he called, the veins around his eyes receding, "I must forfeit."

"Winner," Genma called as the ice around Neji's hands melted, the chain retracting into Hyôrinmaru's hilt, "Uzumaki Naruto!"

The arena was silent for a moment, as though they had trouble believing the outcome of the spectacular battle. Naruto shifted uncomfortably under their gaze, waiting hesitantly for their reaction. Then, he heard a noise, a noise he hadn't thought he'd hear from a crowd of Konoha villagers and shinobi.

It started out low and soft, as though the crowd didn't know how to react to his victory, then it grew. It grew louder and louder as more people joined in, some standing to make themselves known. The cheer rose in volume steadily, growing and growing until it became a deafening roar. They cheered…for him.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, grinning broadly like an idiot. His eyes searched the crowd, looking at each and every person calling out excitedly, until he found one particular person that made his heart soar.

There, in the crowd, sitting next to her teammate Kiba, was Hyuga Hinata. Her eyes were shining with pride and excitement as she smiled down at him warmly. That, Naruto thought, made all of it worth it.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Sensatsu Suisho no Daikeimusho roughly means "Great Prison of a Thousand Murdering Flying Water Needles".**

**Whew! The Naruto vs. Neji fight was seven pages long!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach**

_**Reign over the Frosted Frozen Heavens…**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan __F__awkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	3. The Creeping Limit

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Three: The Creeping Limit  
— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The crowd was eerily silent, staring at him openly with surprise on their faces. Even the Hokage seemed flabbergasted, his pipe hanging from his lips limply, lifelessly. The Kazekage showed no outward signs of emotion — no one would have seen it because of the mask, anyway — merely locking his stony and eager gaze on the child that had stumped the crowd.

He shrugged. He honestly didn't care what the crowd thought of him, or what the foreign dignitaries judged of him. It wasn't a part of his personality to care. It was far too troublesome to worry about fthe opinions of others, so he thought, 'Why bother?' That was his take on the majority of things in the world.

He frowned. Lately, things had become much more troublesome than usual, simply because of one person. Word spread like wildfire in a village as populated as Konoha, so much so that a new rumor was common knowledge by the next morning. That made things even more troublesome, especially when you took in the subject of those rumors.

Ever since the preliminaries a month previous, Naruto had been the subject of debate and rumors amongst the ninja and civilians of the village, popping up in even the oddest of conversations. For a while, even, it seemed as if Ino couldn't choose between the new and improved Naruto and Sasuke, the one she was supposedly in love with.

Some of the rumors about the boy were truly absurd, bordering on clinical paranoia. Some thought that the Snake Sennin had returned and claimed the blond as his new apprentice, teaching him the ways of the sword and plenty of new Jutsu. They thought that he'd given Naruto his weapon and taught him how to use it.

Others thought that he had made a deal with the Kyubi no Yoko, which was truly amazing to him. They thought that the demon was plotting its revenge on Konoha for being defeated by the Fourth Hokage and humiliated the way it was. He had trouble understanding their logic, simply for the fact that he'd been told all his life that the demon fox had been killed.

Some even thought, and Shikamaru nearly shivered at the idea, that Naruto was the reincarnation of a dragon god whose domain was ice. Their idea was that the dragon Naruto summoned with his sword was his 'true form' that was locked away within his human body. Those people had built a small shrine near the river, praying to it that the 'dragon god' would be freed from his mortal prison.

He knew their ideas and theories were absurd and ridiculous, but he couldn't completely discredit them when he himself didn't know the truth. It was all too troublesome, but his curiosity wouldn't let him rest until he'd discovered what exactly was happening. Naruto, who he had thought was one of the boring, un-cool guys like himself, was quickly becoming one of the genius prodigies Konoha celebrated so much.

So troublesome.

"Huh?" Genma asked incredulously, his senbon threatening to fall from his loose lips. He looked as if he'd been told that the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure wore pink underwear decorated with pretty red hearts.

"Wh-wha—," Temari stuttered, her eyes wide and her mouth dropped open in shock. He was half-tempted to tell her she'd catch flies if she didn't shut it. "What did you say?"

"That's right. You heard me," Shikamaru said lazily. "I quit. It was fun and all, but this wouldn't last much longer, anyway. I'm almost out of chakra. In fact, I think I've got enough to hold this for another ten seconds, tops."

"What?" Temari asked, dumbfounded. "You mean that, after all that talk about not losing to a girl, and after all the trouble you gave me, you're forfeiting? Throwing in the towel?"

"Must I repeat myself?" Shikamaru retorted rudely, his shadow retracting from her form. "There, you happy? I couldn't fight back even if I wanted to. You win."

"Um," Genma started slowly, as if the words refused to leave his lips. His eyes were still wide as he continued, trying to force the next phrase into the air, "Winner…Temari."

Everyone tensed as a whirlwind exploded a few feet from Shikamaru, kicking up a thin cloud of dust. Leaves that had not been there before danced about the high-speed winds, some crumpling under the pressure. In a quick burst, the winds dissipated, revealing two figures back to back as the leaves slowly fell to earth.

The first person was tall, nearly twice as much so as his shorter companion. He wore navy blue under a green flak jacket, a mask hiding most of his face. A Konoha hitai-ate was slung over his left eye, hiding the socket beneath. His light gray hair spiked up, as if defying the laws of gravity. His hands were nestled in his pockets.

The second person was a boy easily half the older one's age, no more than thirteen or fourteen at best. His bangs were long and parted to frame his face, easily reaching to the very edge of his jawbone. His dark eyes were observant, flickering about the stadium as a small smirk quirked at the right side of his lips. His raven black hair spiked backwards at the back of his head, kind of like the hind end of a chicken.

Naruto smirked, cupping his mouth with one hand as he leaned against the steel railing, "Hey, Sasuke!"

The younger of the two figures looked up, his expression remaining mostly neutral as the blonde continued, "What's the sword for, compensation?"

"I don't know, Naruto," Sasuke called back, a smirk on his lips as he lightly fingered the hilt of the ninjato strapped horizontally to the back of his waist, "what's yours for?"

Instead of responding, Naruto grinned broadly, a challenge flashing in his blue eyes. Sasuke seemed to read the look correctly, seeming surprised for a second before the smirk returned full force. He nodded, hoping his blonde rival had understood that he would gladly match blades whenever the Chûnin Exams were over.

Feeling a pair of eyes on the back of his head, Sasuke turned slightly to look behind him. Gaara's imposing figure stood in the stands, his eyes stony and dark, as if he were staring at his next prey. Sasuke flinched for a second as Gaara's face split into an evil and maniacal grin, one that threatened to crack his head in half. He blinked in surprise and the grin was gone.

He repressed a shiver. This guy was beyond creepy. He felt a bit of his confidence drain at the prospect of facing this…madman. He hardened his resolve. He was an Uchiha. A single Genin like Gaara wasn't going to shake him. He would _fight_. And he would _win._

"Um…sorry," Kakashi addressed the examiner, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "We got kind of sidetracked. He's not…disqualified, is he?"

"No," Genma smirked. "You guys were really late, but we pushed his match back to last. As a matter of fact, we should probably be starting by now…"

"Oh, right!" Kakashi said, vanishing in a puff of smoke, only to reappear in the stands. Temari and Shikamaru followed his lead, heading back upstairs as Gaara appeared from the stairwell and walked calmly towards his opponent.

"Don't lose to this guy, Sasuke," Naruto muttered as Genma stood between the two Genin.

"Now…finally," Genma said, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Begin!"

As sand burst from Gaara's gourd, Sasuke jumped back, watching what his opponent would do from afar. He only knew what Kakashi had told him, nothing more. The rest of his opponent's skills were a mystery to him.

The sand seemed to flinch, wriggling as if in agony.

"Ugh!" Gaara grasped his head in pain, muttering, "Don't be so angry…Kaa-san. That blood I gave you earlier…it was disgusting. But I promise. This blood will be so much better."

"What the?" Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"Tch," Sasuke scoffed as Gaara flinched again, cringing. Then the calm façade had returned, Gaara's empty teal eyes glaring at him from rings of black. The redhead's brow furrowed as his lips drew tight, his arms folded in his typical fashion. The sand was calm, floating around the boy smoothly.

"Come," the boy uttered lowly, his voice dangerous.

In a blur, Sasuke dashed towards his opponent, kicking up a trail of dust as he moved. He flung two shuriken, watching as the sand rose up and grabbed them out of the air. It morphed into a copy of Gaara, glaring at him with the two shuriken grasped in its fingers. It exploded outwards and Sasuke leapt up, tossing two more of the throwing stars as the Gaara clone tried to use his previous ones against him. They collided with each other and fell to the ground.

Sasuke landed, punching a hole through the doppelganger, the sand grasping at his wrist. He brought his other hand up in a palm strike, blasting the sand clone's head to bits. He rushed forwards again, aiming a punch at the redhead's face. The sand rose to block, but Sasuke vanished, reappearing behind Gaara. To his opponent's shock, he landed a solid punch on the Suna shinobi's left cheek, sending him flying.

The sand formed a cushion for Gaara, standing him back up as it repaired the damaged section of Suna no Yoroi. Gaara's glare seemed to intensify.

"That speed," Gai remarked in surprise. He turned to his eternal rival, "Kakashi-san, you…?"

"I did," Kakashi nodded, eye focused on the fight happening below. "I had him imagine how Lee would fight and copy it. Needless to say, he picked it up quite well."

"I see," Gai said seriously. "But you do realize that pure Taijutsu won't be enough for this, don't you? Even my brilliant pupil couldn't beat Gaara-san with Taijutsu alone."

"Taijutsu isn't all I taught him," Kakashi remarked lightly, revealing no secrets. "Sasuke-kun and I are very similar people."

In a blur, Sasuke was upon him again, landing another punch. It hit and he continued, lifting himself and Gaara into the air as he went. A second punch, an elbow to the gut, a knee to the solar plexus, and a palm strike to the left chest. He grabbed the boy's white sash and tan strap, swinging his head forward and into Gaara's. Using his opponent's shock, he twisted around, throwing him into the ground. Sasuke landed lightly, panting heavily.

Gaara stood slowly, but Sasuke allowed him no reprieve, punching him squarely in the jaw with enough force to leave a crater in the wall. Gaara flew backwards several feet, landing on a soft cushion of sand. He stood slowly as his Suna no Yoroi slowly began to flake off, revealing the pale flesh of his face.

The sand swirled, forming an orb around him as he moved his hands into a single seal. There were several surprised gasps in the crowd, mainly from the team of Sand Ninja that Gaara called comrades. That alone drew Naruto's attention as an ominous feeling settled into his stomach.

"Jin, Saru, Hebi, Saru," Gaara chanted within the orb, hands locked in a hand seal. Sand trickled upward and formed an eyeball that stared out at Sasuke. "Jin, Saru, Tori, Tatsu…"

Sasuke scowled, glaring at the orb in front of him. Wary of this new technique, he tossed a shuriken towards his foe, watching as a spike of sand shot out from the sphere and destroyed the small throwing weapon easily. His scowl deepening, Sasuke dashed towards the orb at amazing speeds.

"Nezumi, Saru, Jin…"

Blood trickled down Sasuke's cheek, fist, and left leg, spikes of sand protruding from the orb just barely having missed impaling him. He had come far too close to losing a body part there and he would have if it hadn't been for his Sharingan. He jumped backwards, doing several flips before he landed on the arena wall, sitting on it like a stool.

"_I have two options,"_ Sasuke told himself, _"and Kakashi warned me to only use _that_ as a last resort. Chidori it is, then."_

"Nezumi, Usagi, Tora, Tori, Jin…"

Nodding to himself, Sasuke flashed through three quick hand seals, bracing his left arm with his right hand. Chakra gathered, quickly turning into a blue lightning that fizzled loudly. The sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the area as Sasuke crouched on the wall, prepared to make a fast dash.

Gai turned to Kakashi in shock, "Kakashi-san, you didn't!"

"I told you, Gai-san," Kakashi said in a firm monotone, "Sasuke-kun and I are very similar people."

Then, to the eyes of the roaring crowd, Sasuke became a blur as he ran full speed down the wall, a trail of destruction left in his wake. As he hit the ground, he continued forward, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris. The crowd roared even louder as Sasuke closed in on his opponent, his Sharingan allowing him to dodge the spikes that shot towards him.

With only a fraction of resistance, Sasuke's hand cut through the barrier of sand surrounding Gaara, passing quickly through the sphere and striking the red-haired boy within. All was quiet as the crowd waited with baited breath for the result to show itself.

"What's this? This warm moisture?" Gaara's voice asked, confusion and fear running rampant. "_Blood_? Is this _my_ blood?"

An ear-splitting shriek rent the air, the cry of a dying man. The crowd slowly fell asleep, lulled by a Genjutsu cast by a traitor amongst their number. Several Konoha Shinobi broke it easily, moving to intercept the disguised sand and sound ninja. An explosion obscured the Kage box from view and several ANBU were already making their way to help.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Hinata twisted, cutting her opponent down in a brilliant flash of steel. She spun slightly, her sword slicing cleanly through a kunai and down her enemy's middle, splitting him open from eyes to crotch. He fell to the ground, screaming as his damaged heart slowed to stop in the open air.

Bile rose in Hinata's throat, but she refused to give up now in this most important of times. She would not die, not now, not when she had yet to tell Naruto how she felt. There were too many things she still had to do before she could die. Tobiume whispered soft words of comfort in her ears and she steeled her resolve.

Another enemy rose up to attack her, arms spread wide as if a tiger pouncing on his prey. Hinata moved fluidly, faster than her foe could follow, and stabbed forwards as he tried to grab her. Her razor sharp sword sunk into his chest, destroying his heart in an instant. He went slack, dead before he could react.

A battle cry called out behind her and she spun around, pulling her sword free as she twisted her body. Her wrist flicked downwards, carrying her blade in a diagonal arc. A neat, thin line carved itself into her enemy's body, but Hinata had no doubt that it was very deep. He fell to the ground, screaming as he slowly bled to death. Hinata took pity on him and severed his spine at the base of his neck.

Another enemy came and Hinata severed his head, watching with barely concealed horror as the body thumped to the ground lifelessly. Tears stung her eyes as she turned and slit the throat of her next foe, wishing she could turn her Byakugan off so that she didn't have to see their faces, immortalized in pain at their death.

A chill ran up her spine as dragon of ice leapt over her shoulder, engulfing every one of the enemy ninja around her in a column of frozen water. It even stripped the flesh from some of them, baring raw skin and sometimes even muscle or bone. She felt her heartbeat quicken, her breath catching in her throat as she realized what that dragon meant. She struggled to hide her smile.

A black clad figure followed the dragon, landing a scant few feet in front of her with his sword drawn and his gaze stony. He pointed a single finger at the row of frozen ninja, energy gathering at the tip rapidly. In a solemn, serious voice that she rarely heard him use, he said, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai."

A bolt of white energy tore a large hole through each of the ninja, killing them instantly. The ice, however, prevented the blood from spilling out over the ground, catching all of it and keeping it inside the bodies. Naruto suddenly spun around, thrusting his sword at her. Alarmed, she watched as it rushed past her shoulder and into the heart of another enemy.

He had saved her.

Then, he did something that nearly brought the girl to her knees. He kissed her on the forehead, pulling her into a tight hug as she felt her eyes widen to incredible size. A feeling of warmth pooled in her belly, uncoiling from the depths of her middle to envelop the entirety of her body. Belatedly, she realized he was whispering something in her ear.

"Be careful, Hinata-chan," he said to her, his breath tickling her ear. "Make sure to stay safe, all right?"

"But, Naruto-kun," she protested quietly. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to follow Sasuke," Naruto said firmly, his eyes hard like diamonds. "He has no idea what he's in for."

"But," Hinata protested, worried for his safety, "what if—?"

"Don't worry," he told her, smiling slightly. "I'm going to be just fine."

There was an explosion deep in the forest, and suddenly Naruto had let go, telling her, "Got to go. Stay safe!"

In a flash, he was gone, leaping over the stands and into the woods. Within seconds, he was out of her line of sight, maybe even for the last time. Belatedly, she whispered, "Good luck, Naruto-kun."

As another enemy leapt towards her, Hinata swung her sword, releasing a bulging ball of energy in a cry similar to a firework streaking through the sky. In an explosion of pink, her enemy, as well as several of the seats surrounding her, was no more.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasuke leaned up against the tree, clutching the junction of his neck and shoulder as the pain wracked his body. Little flame-like black markings crept over his skin, consuming almost the entire right side of his body. His chakra was at an all time low and he was too tired to even _think_ of drawing his sword. He had lost to the demonic Gaara.

He grunted as another wave of pain washed over his aching body, tensing as his worn and sore muscles twitched in time with his agony. His eyes shut, clenching tightly as he bit his lip, drawing blood. A pain-filled screech threatened to tear itself from his lips, but he wouldn't let it and it came out as a sort of stressed gurgle.

He panted, glaring over at the Sand shinobi who was taking so much glee in his pain. That maniacal grin that Sasuke had seen for but a split second just before their match was back in full force, stretching over Gaara's face and threatening to crack the boy's head in half. An insane chuckle escaped those lips, bloodshot teal eyes glaring at him with enough bloodlust to kill small animals.

Sasuke wasn't sure how it had come to this, how it had come to him being the one losing. During their match at the stadium, he had been in control because his Chidori was powerful enough to punch through Gaara's defensive sand. That had led to Gaara running away and Sasuke following him into the forest.

After he had caught up with the wounded Gaara and his teammates, Kankuro had decided to stay behind and fight him. He had been prepared to take the puppet user down fast and hard so he could follow the redhead, but Aburame Shino had shown up and claimed that he had never gotten to have his fight in the finals. That had allowed Sasuke to bypass the puppeteer and follow the blond girl carrying Gaara.

He thought that he would have had to fight the girl before Gaara, too, but the sand user had simply pushed the blond out of the way and went insane. Sasuke had grinned eagerly, ready to settle the fight they hadn't gotten to complete during the exams. He had expected to clinch a victory rather easily, since Gaara was susceptible to his Chidori.

The fight had gotten so much weirder after that, though, and Sasuke wasn't entirely sure just what had happened. Gaara had done something really strange with his sand, something Sasuke hadn't thought he had enough control to do. Gaara had turned his sand into an arm, a tail, and half of a raccoon's face, one gleaming golden eye glaring out at him.

Sasuke had thought it was strange, but hadn't paid it much mind, to be honest. No matter what distortions the sand Genin made to his body, Sasuke figured that it still wouldn't make much of a difference in the long run. His Chidori still held a certain measure of strength over Gaara's sand and no amount of bodily enhancements with the stuff would change that.

Or so he had thought. Sasuke tensed again as another wave of pain swept over him, biting his cheek to keep from screaming out. The pain reached its apex and Sasuke let out a low groan as he tried to keep himself from crying out. The pain suddenly spiked, to the boy's shock, and he couldn't help the scream that left his lips, "Aaaaaaagh!"

As it turned out, Gaara was pretty much immune to pain in this new form of his and that made it a whole lot harder to fight him. Sasuke had severed the sand arm with his Chidori, thinking that would be the end of it. Gaara, however, had merely grinned insanely as his gourd expanded and morphed again, reforming the arm of sand effortlessly.

Up until that point, Sasuke had been relying on his own strength and power. He became desperate, however, when it was obvious that he wasn't strong enough on his own. He had called on the power of the Curse Mark, Orochimaru's 'Heaven Seal', in an effort to take down his powerful enemy.

In the end, his efforts had proven useless and pointless and had done nothing but waste his chakra in a futile effort at victory. He wasn't sure what exactly was going to happen to him, but he figured that Gaara was going to do what he seemed best at. He was going to kill Sasuke with his sand, like he was known to do.

Strangely, that didn't bother Sasuke even half as much as he had expected it to. Despite the fact that his goal in life was unfinished, he was somehow at peace with the fact that he was going to die. He may not have revived his clan or even killed Itachi, but he was going to get to see his mother again.

Sasuke leaned up against the tree trunk, letting out a peaceful sigh as the thought entered his mind. The Curse Seal receded as it lacked energy to draw on, the black markings fading from his skin at the peaceful thought. Despite the fact that he was going to die, he was going to see his mother again after five long years. He would get to see her smiling face again.

He sighed again, closing his eyes as be braced himself for Gaara's murderous touch, gently murmuring, "Mother."

Gaara suddenly backed up from Sasuke's relaxed body, stumbling as he grasped at his head, as if in some sort of agonizing pain. He let out a groan that was more like the whine of an injured child, his eyes wide in pain and fear. He bit his bottom lip, tears welling up at the bottom of his eyes as that one word drew up memories he had long since repressed.

"_Your mother loved you very much,"_ a voice told him in his mind, the image of a blond haired man appearing in his mind's eye. The man was smiling at him lovingly as he bandaged the small cut on his hand. _"And I loved your mother, my sister, very much, Gaara. And that means that I love you, as well."_

"Yasha…maru," Gaara said in a small voice, the tears threatening to spill.

"_There's only one thing that can heal a wounded heart, Gaara,"_ the voice continued, the astral Yashamaru resting a hand on Gaara's chest. The smile was gentle and caring, the man's calm blue eyes staring into Gaara's hurt teal ones, gazing upon the redhead with affection. _"The only thing that can heal a wounded, heart, Gaara…is love."_

Gaara let out an ear-shattering shriek as he reared his arm of sand back, glaring at the boy sitting in front of him. He brought his gigantic fist down, crying out, "Die, Uchiha!"

"Ruler!" a voice called. "The mask of flesh and bone! All creation, flutter of wings! He who bares the name of man! Truth and temperance, upon the wall of sinless dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hadô no sanjuusan: Sôkatsui!"

Gaara's arm suddenly became a makeshift shield as he brought it up to block the ball of blue fire rushing towards him, intent on frying him to death. It exploded against the sand, scattering a large chunk of the arm and revealing Gaara's real arm. In an instant, the arm reformed again, but Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

Gaara looked up, glaring at the blue eyed blonde that had stolen his prey away from him as those sapphire orbs pierced his soul. The eight-petal lotus design on the circular clasp for his green sash gleamed in the light streaming down from the canopy, the gold seeming to burn a fiery red as it reflected the bright ultraviolet.

Gaara's eyes narrowed, his teeth bared in a snarl. This boy _dared_ to steal his prey away from him? He _dared_ to get in the way of their match, just as Gaara was about to prove his existence? He _dared_ to stand up to Gaara as if he were something special? A growl bubbled up in Gaara's chest, rising to the surface ruthlessly.

"I can see that you're not going to back down," Naruto sighed, reaching up for the hilt of his sword. "If you're going to go any further, I'm afraid I have to intercept you."

Naruto leapt into the air, unsheathing his sword in an instant as he swung downward, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

A blue dragon made of nearly frozen water was unleashed, its gaping maw wide as it rushed toward its target. Its red eyes stared at the sand ninja, fangs of liquid bared in a dark snarl. Gaara thrust his arm of sand forward, pushing it against the nose of the beast aimed to encase him in ice. The dragon engulfed the entire arm, splashing around the limb as it continued into the tree branch beneath the redhead.

When the dragon had subsided, it left behind several spikes of ice on the branch and bark, each of which was thick and dense as they refracted the light streaming through the canopy. Gaara looked down at his arm in shock to see that all of the compacted sand had disappeared and his sleeve had been torn off roughly, leaving bare, healthy skin covered in a thin layer of frost.

Sand rushed as Gaara growled, thrusting his palm toward Naruto again as a paw grew from his gourd. The paw crashed through thin air as the blond disappeared in a soft whoosh, reappearing behind Gaara with his sword poised to stab. The boy's blue eyes were dangerously serious, like icy chips in the frozen sea.

"Senga," Naruto said coldly, pushing his sword forward. It sank into the sand a few inches, the tip moving to impale the redhead's right shoulder. Naruto's eyes widened, however, as the sand swirled and grabbed his steel tightly, preventing further penetration. Gaara looked back at him, teal eyes triumphant.

Naruto could see now why Sasuke had lost to the insane shinobi. Gaara's control over his sand was beyond impressive. In fact, it was far greater than the control that Haku had had over water and ice, and Haku's control had been very impressive. Against Gaara, Sasuke, who was better at close-range attacks than anything, would lose quite quickly.

Naruto, however, had far more tricks up his sleeve than Sasuke. Sasuke had only focused on learning one technique over the course of the month while Naruto had learned many, even some that none had ever seen before. Those techniques were what would give Naruto his great advantage over Gaara.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast," Naruto's free hand came up, pointing to the trapped sword. "Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle. Hadô no Rokujuusan: Raikōhō."

A blast of yellow energy was fired, point blank, into the sand covering Gaara's shoulder, blowing it away. Naruto pulled his sword free as Gaara let out a loud scream, his voice shrill and pained as the agony of Naruto's spell set in. Vaguely, Naruto could see raw red skin beneath a hole in the sand ninja's shirt.

He moved to make another attack, but stopped as Gaara's shriek of pain tapered off into a maniacal laugh that lilted through the trees, ringing in the tall forest canopy. Naruto watched warily as Gaara turned around, the sand around his arm and face mutating until both arms had become monstrous sand limbs.

"The Uchiha was nothing," Gaara said insanely, an insane grin threatening to split his face. "In you, I have found a true measure. You are…my _prey_!"

There was a sudden gush of sand that burst outward, crushing trees as it took on a solid, corporeal form. Gaara disappeared in the large mass, his form hidden by the dirt, dust, and rock particles that made up his attack style. Naruto jumped backwards as the massive ball threatened to engulf him too, watching as it took on a definite shape.

Purple markings covered the entire body of the creature, strange and almost like some sort of cultic tattoos. The tail was thick and had multiple protrusions, as if it were some kind of mace used to club enemies to death. The teeth were jagged and replaced any form of lips that may have once existed. The eyes were a dull gold surrounded by a sea of black.

Naruto scowled as the beast turned its eyes to him, a wicked gleam in the depths of the diamond shaped pupils. The tail wagged slightly, bowling over several tall trees and kicking up a cloud of dust and dirt. Icy blue met gold as the opponents sized each other up, taking in each other's forms. Fangs of sand curled into a wicked grin.

Naruto stabbed his sword into the tree trunk, flashing through hand seals as the beast focused all of its attention on him. The air around him swirled and the ice chunks that had frozen next to Gaara's body melted, twisting and morphing in midair as Naruto manipulated them to his will.

He stopped on the final hand seal, bird, and watched as the water he had gathered took on a specified form. He shouted, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

The dragon leapt at the demonic creature, smashing into its right foreleg. It pushed with all the might it had against its target, attempting to pull the demon's leg out from under itself. The beast merely scowled, doing nothing but watching as the water dragon fizzled out, revealing an uninjured leg.

"I see," Naruto sighed. "So that's how strong this guy is, huh?"

The air remained silent, giving no answer to his question.

"I guess I'd better step it up too, huh?" he grasped his sword tightly, gathering energy for his own transformation, of sorts. "I imagine I'd be using the stupid fox's chakra if I didn't have you, Hyôrinmaru."

His eyes sharpened into glints of steel, "Time to use that technique you taught me."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Orochimaru chuckled, tearing the fake face off in a display of rubbery flesh as the Sandaime Hokage looked on in barely suppressed disgust and horror. He smirked cockily, golden eyes flashing in triumph as three wooden boxes started to rise from the tiles of the building. The entirety of his plans began to merge as the shock on his former teacher's face turned to vicious determination.

Sarutobi flashed through hand seals as the coffins rose, watching in satisfaction as the first two tilted on the roof, preventing the third from rising up. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the final coffin would have released a foe even he would lose to almost instantly. It was bad enough that he would be facing his former teachers, but to face the Fourth Hokage, he would be doomed.

It wouldn't have stopped with him, though. If the Fourth, Namikaze Minato, the famous Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou, the Yellow Flash of Konoha, had been successfully summoned, then Orochimaru would not have stopped at merely killing his sensei. No, Orochimaru would have continued on to the village and nothing would have stopped him.

If the Snake Sennin had managed to bring back Minato, Kakashi, the man's student and a powerful asset to the Leaf, would have been unable to react in time to do anything. He would have been too overcome by shock and grief to fight back and would have been annihilated before he could do anything.

Most of the village's shinobi would have similar reactions. If Orochimaru had succeeded in reviving the Fourth, then the entire village would have been doomed. Jiraiya, who had recently returned for a small duration, might be able to put up a decent fight, but it was still doubtful that the man would defeat his previous student.

The old man's eyes narrowed as the two large boxes creaked open, the lids falling to the roof tiles with a loud thud. Two figures stepped out from within, each wearing his own version of battle armor on the chest and arms. The first had long, smooth black hair held from his face by a Konoha hitai-ate. The second had spiky white hair held back by a 'helmet' similar to the one that Yamato, a trusted ANBU, wore. He also had three red marks on his face — one horizontal on each cheek and one vertical on his chin.

The Shodai and Nidaime Hokage.

"It's been a long time," the Nidaime said, "eh, Monkey?"

"Hmmm," the Shodai mused. "You've grown old, haven't you, Sarutobi?"

"I would not have thought I would meet with you two brothers again like this," Sarutobi said grimly. "It's regrettable. Please make your preparations to be defeated."

"How about you forget the chatter and get started?" Orochimaru asked in annoyance. He pulled out two kunai, each tagged with a strange paper, and inserted it into their heads.

Instantly, any and all injuries on the two Hokage dissipated into thin air with a hiss of steam, revealing flawless skin and sturdy armor that both looked brand new. Orochimaru grinned, stepping back as the Shodai and Nidaime regained all of the health they had lost when they had died, "Let's get started, shall we?"

The Third rushed forward without any warning, flashing through hand seals as he drew closer to his new enemies. He stopped on tiger, taking in a deep breath as his chakra churned and morphed. He blew out, mentally chanting, _"Katon: Karyuu Endan!"_

A thick, powerful stream of fire raced forth toward his foes, incinerating several roof tiles in a blaze of flames. The Nidaime went through his own set of seals, calling, "Suiton: Suijinheki!"

He spat out a torrent of water that swirled around the three ninja to form a thick barrier, protecting them from harm. The fire style skill collided with it powerfully, sizzling out as the water began to evaporate under the intense heat. As the Karyuu Endan dissipated, the Nidaime went through more hand seals.

He stopped abruptly on bird, the water swirling to take a draconic shape, "Suiton: Suiryuudan!"

The Third flashed through his own set of hand seals, spitting out a huge globe of mud that quickly formed a barrier between him and the water dragon intent on destroying him. He named the technique as the dragon crashed into it, breaking down into its base element, "Doton: Doryuuheki!"

The Shodai sped through a set of his own seals, muttering, "Mokuton: Jyukai Koudan."

The Sandaime jumped atop his tall barrier wall, going through yet another sequence of seals as thick roots wound their way towards him. They grabbed onto him just as he finished, wrapping him in a thick bondage as a plume of smoke arose in front of him.

An ape appeared, clothed in shinobi garb and a tiger-skin pelt, a Konoha hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead and pushing back his thick white hair. He turned serious eyes from Orochimaru as he looked back at the one who had summoned him, "You're pathetic, you know that, Sarutobi? This is all because you didn't kill him when you had the chance!"

"That's what we're going to do now," Sarutobi told him. "Enma, use the Kongonyo!"

"Right," the ape spun, another plume of smoke arising to cover him, "transform!"

The monkey king's form shifted, turning into a large staff as it cut through the tree roots binding the Third Hokage. The Sandaime grasped the huge, thick pole as he fell free, glaring down at his traitorous student, Orochimaru. The Snake Sennin merely smirked up at his old teacher, confident of his victory.

The snake man's mouth opened, revealing one of the slimy serpents, which, in turn, opened its own mouth to reveal the hilt of a sword. Orochimaru grasped the hilt, pulling it loose to reveal the legendary Kusanagi no Tsurugi, Kuu no Tachi. His smirk widened as he brandished the sword in front of himself.

Sarutobi jumped off his stone wall, crying, "Let's go, Enma!"

He landed, rushing forward and taking a swipe at his foes. The Shodai and Nidaime jumped over and ducked under his weapon respectively, watching as the Third thrust Enma forward. The pole extended, crashing into Orochimaru's sword as the snake man blocked it. The two Hokage under his command reacted, kicking the Sandaime backwards where he fell onto his butt.

"Please don't disappoint me too much," Orochimaru smirked. A sizzling sound interrupted anything else he might have said as two explosive notes, one on each of the Hokage, exploded in a burst of smoke, destroying the former Fire Shadows' legs.

Orochimaru laughed as the legs reformed, "Your breaths seem to be coming rather fast, you know."

The Sandaime sighed, setting Enma down as he made as seal, "The exchanges of Jutsu end here!"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto tightened his grip on his sword, the blue cloth rubbing comfortably against his palm. The energy in his body gathered as he prepared himself for his next maneuver, staring down the hulking form of the massive Gaara, or whatever he had become. The power surged as he pointed his sword forward, his body glowing white.

The large beast stared him down with a familiar look on its face and in its eyes, one that Naruto had seen on Gaara mere minutes before. The look was decidedly creepier on a huge, demonic beast than it was on a person as wicked fangs of sand curved in a maniacal grin. The beast's huge stomach twitched as a soft chuckle hissed past its teeth.

A single word left Naruto's mouth, one that no one else in the world would understand. His lips curled to fit the syllables as they came out in a dense, solid uttering, "Bankai."

A bright flash lit up the area, nearly blinding the large beast that was Gaara as the blonde boy's energy output flared and spiked nearly beyond belief. Within the beast of sand, the redheaded shinobi felt something that had not existed in his heart since the days when Yashamaru had been alive. Not even the Uchiha's attack in the stadium had brought it out.

Fear. A trickling doubt wormed its way into his mind as the bright light began to fade and a shivering breath left his mouth. The golden eyes of the faux Shukaku locked onto the area his prey had been seconds before, widening as its gaze found something truly remarkable in the world of shinobi.

Several trees were frozen over, covered in a dense ice as a fine mist hovered over them. There, within the trees and not having moved from his spot, stood the powerful blonde boy whose aura saturated the air in a thick fog. Beyond anything the sand shinobi had seen before, Naruto had changed nearly as drastically as he had.

Wings of ice spread outward, maneuvering with amazing ease considering their composition. They were attached to the Konoha Genin's back, covering his shoulders with a protective layer. Beneath the wings was a large tail of ice that flicked back and forth, as if it belonged on the boy. A thick layer of jagged ice covered the blonde's right arm, encasing his fist and the hilt of his sword in a dragon's head. His feet were covered in ice as well, forming what appeared to be a dragon's paws. His left arm, from elbow to wrist, was also covered in ice, a claw like paw attached to the wrist.

The hilt guard on the sword appeared to be the only thing that had changed about the katana, morphing into an eight-point star. Four ice flowers, each with four petals, hovered around the blonde's form. Naruto's eyes were frigid blue, "Daiguren Hyôrinmaru." (Great Crimson Lotus Ice Ring)

Before Gaara could react, Naruto had leapt off of his branch and started…_flying_ towards him, sword brandished threateningly as he let out his war cry, "Haaa!"

His sword sank into the sand, penetrating the raccoon demon's shoulder as he cried, "Die! Ryûsenka!"

Instantly, a trail of ice leapt forward, cutting across the beast's back and into its hind leg, freezing and encasing a large amount of sand. Naruto pulled his sword loose, crashing the blade against the ice, shouting, "Kudakero!"

The ice shattered into hundreds of large chunks, falling to the ground and taking with it a good portion of the Ichibi's fine grain body. Surprised, Gaara tried to regain the sand by forcing it from the ice that had spontaneously formed the moment Naruto's sword had penetrated his sandy and admittedly fragile body. He could not pull the grains free.

The sand moved and twisted as Gaara's head and torso appeared from within the Shukaku's giant body, glaring out at the blonde that posed so much of a threat to his existence. He gathered chakra, forming a single hand seal as he named his indirectly fatal technique, "Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu."

Instantly, Gaara collapsed, asleep where he was as he allowed his demon free run of his body and the sand he commanded. The huge beast instantly perked up, growing slightly larger as its eyes took on a brighter golden hue, "Yahoo! I'm free!"

The beast turned its gaze to Naruto, who was floating in the air as if he were standing on solid ground, "And I've even got prey sitting here waiting for me!"

The demon swiped at him with its paw, as if it were swatting a bug out of the air. Naruto did a midair barrel roll, cutting into the beast's paw as it passed him. Instantly, the entire paw froze over, falling off of the arm as if it had been amputated by an expert surgeon. A second later, the paw reformed as if it had never been missing.

Naruto dodged out of the way of another swipe, cutting once more into the sand and watching it freeze a second time. Again, the missing part reformed almost as soon as the original fell off. A third swipe and retaliation brought much the same result and Naruto soon realized that he was running out of options.

He stopped moving, bracing himself for the next swipe. The gigantic paw loomed over him and came forth at astounding speed, considering its remarkable size. He pulled his wings in front of himself at the last second, blocking the attack as it hit him full on. The blow sent him flying into the shrubbery, where he collided with it painfully.

Shukaku grinned when his opponent hit the earth and did not get back up afterwards, staying on the ground. He didn't care that he couldn't see the little gnat, and he wouldn't pretend that it hadn't been annoying to have so much sand cut from his body, but he had won in the end. So much for the foe that Gaara had so much trouble with.

Shukaku turned towards the village, which he could see in the distance, and prepared to move towards it when a voice rang out, one that he only knew through his fragile vessel, "Banshou Issai Kaijin to Nase, Ryûjin Jakka!"

It came without warning, a searing heat that could easily burn the entire forest down should it be directed in such a manner. It came up his right foreleg, cleaving it right up the center and quickly moving up towards his shoulder. He turned an angry golden gaze to the boy that dared to attack him, watching as the tiny figure ran vertically up his arm.

In his hands, the boy he knew to be Uchiha Sasuke held the hilt of a katana whose blade was surrounded by what seemed to be a solid aura of fire. The fire burned straight through his foreleg, cutting almost cleanly in half and leaving behind two thick walls of glass. The boy jerked his sword out, black eyes blazing with hate as he jumped up and reversed his grip.

With a battle cry, he dove towards Gaara, sword poised as he reached the apex of his jump at quite an impressive height. Shukaku growled, slamming the pest with his damaged arm and shattering the hot glass as it collided with a massive tree trunk. The boy disappeared into the foliage and Shukaku had serious doubts that he would be getting up.

The huge beast turned back around and started to walk forward, its golden eyes refocusing on the village of Konoha in the distance. It stopped short, however, at the figure standing on air calmly in front of it, glaring at him with just the hint of a smirk on his lips. Shukaku was too stunned to do anything.

"I have to thank you, you know," Naruto told him calmly, a victorious gleam in his eyes. Only three flowers remained. "If you hadn't left me alone for as long as you did, I wouldn't have had the time to do this."

Naruto's sword rose until it was perpendicular to his torso, the flat sides of the blade perpendicular to the ground. Quickly, and before Shukaku could do anything to stop them, several pillars rose from the ground until they formed a makeshift cage around the beast's body. If it tried to escape, it would have to jump _over_ the pillars, and, for a creature of its large size, that would be nearly impossible.

Naruto turned his sword so that the flats of the blade were parallel with the ground, "Sennen Hyôrô."

Shukaku reared back as the pillars rushed in and trapped him, locking him in a thick, square prison that left only his head free. Immediately he could see the effects of the technique as ice crept over his form at an amazing speed. He extended his neck as much as he could, screaming as the ice consumed all but Gaara.

Naruto landed atop the great beast's raised snout, staring down into the dull eyes as Gaara awoke and started to panic. Naruto brought his sword up above his head, then swung downwards, stabbing his blade into the frozen creature beneath his feet as a cry left his lips, "Ha!"

For a second, nothing seemed to happen as Gaara screamed and writhed in his prison of ice. Then, hairline cracks formed from the point of contact, slowly and steadily thickening as they began to move deeper through the tall beast. With a loud snap, the ice prison and Shukaku both shattered into thousands of tiny shards and Gaara fell to the ground.

Naruto gazed down at the spot where Gaara had fallen, seeming to think something over for few seconds. In a blur, he disappeared from his place in the air. For the size of his body and the weight that the tail and wings had to add, he moved at an incredible speed.

He reappeared in a small clearing, Gaara's teal eyes going wide as Naruto materialized several feet from his weak and vulnerable form. The blonde turned his gaze towards the redhead, his expression unreadable. Gaara shrugged his shoulders alternatively, trying to back away from the monstrous power in front of him.

"Stay away!" he cried, backing up one meager inch at a time. "My existence will not vanish!"

Calmly, Naruto walked up to the downed boy, who had, by this time, managed to lean himself up against a tree trunk. His eyes widened as the blonde poised his sword to strike. With a fearful grunt, Gaara closed his eyes as Naruto's gleaming silver steel came rushing towards him. He prepared himself as best he could for the pain of pierced flesh and the blackness of death.

It never came. Hesitantly, the sand shinobi opened his eyes, looking to his left, where Naruto's blade was embedded in the thick bark. His gaze flickered over to his opponent, watching as the wings, tail, feet, and dragon's head made of ice crumbled and evaporated into thin air. The calm determination on the blonde's face had not changed at all.

"Why?" Gaara asked, even as Naruto bent over him and started checking his wounds. "Why didn't you kill me? I killed—"

"No, you didn't," Naruto told him calmly, his voice quiet. "As long as a person is alive, no matter how much chakra they have, they will continue to emit Reiryoku in a small but constant stream. Sasuke's Reiryoku has yet to vanish."

Gaara listened but didn't really understand, "Why are you—?"

"Wounds of the flesh can be healed, Gaara, it just takes time," Naruto interrupted him again. He sighed, hand glowing white as he tended to the redhead's injuries. "Wounds of the heart, though, can only be healed with love."

Naruto leaned back as he finished, "I look in your eyes and I see what I could have been if I hadn't been shown any love or compassion."

Gaara listened intently as Naruto continued, "If it hadn't been for the old man, I'd—"

The blonde's eyes suddenly widened to impossible widths, startled realization fluttering across his face, "Shit! The old man!"

There was a sharp flare of chakra and then a second Naruto puffed into existence, kneeling dutifully before the original. Naruto turned a calm cold gaze to his doppelganger, "Take Gaara somewhere safe and wait out the invasion. Use force only if you have no other options."

With a nod, the shadow clone picked up the shocked redhead and slung him over its shoulder, disappearing in the soft whoosh of Shûnpo like a curtain fluttering in the breeze. Sensing it move beyond his perception, he turned his gaze toward the wavering Reiryoku that he knew belonged to the old man.

"Are you going to use _that_?" Hyôrinmaru asked him calmly, its smooth underbelly pressing lightly against his bare arm.

"I have to," Naruto responded, not even moving his eyes. To him, Hyôrinmaru materializing next to him was an everyday thing. "I've almost completely drained my Reiryoku. Between fighting Neji, Bankai, and healing Gaara, I have got very little left."

"I see what you mean," came the reply, the dragon conceding his point. "Yet, your chakra…"

"My chakra is mostly untouched," Naruto finished for him. "I have since recuperated what I lost during my match with Neji. The last significant drain was when I used that Suiryuudan against Shukaku. I've recovered the majority of what I lost to that, as well."

"I see," Hyorimaru said, turning a serious gaze towards the blonde. "You realize, however, that this is untested. You only saw the Toad Sage's technique once. That's all you managed to bribe out of him."

"I know," Naruto sighed. "Are you ready, Hyôrinmaru? This skill will merge us far further than we were originally meant to."

"I am as prepared as I can be," the dragon answered honestly. "If this is irreversible, then so be it. We shall die and that it is that. I am prepared to back whatever decision you make. If death is the price we must pay to save those precious to you, then I know you will gladly pay it. I am prepared to pay that price as well."

"Good," Naruto flashed through several hand seals, his fingers blurring beyond recognition. Blue eyes were sharp as he finished, naming his technique, "Kinjutsu: Ryûjin no Torai."

Chakra flared as Hyôrinmaru vanished from his side, melting into his body instead of fading from view. Round pupils thinned into slits, the blue irises deepening into crystal navy. Muscles twitched as chakra enhanced them artificially, strengthening them beyond normal human limitation. The flesh of his right shoulder blade beneath the black vest rippled, tearing through the fabric as it morphed and twisted.

Feathers appeared, stretching over the growing flesh sprouting from the blonde's shoulder. A few seconds later, a wing covered in pitch black feathers was folded proudly against his back. The transformation ended and Naruto stood straight, flexing his new appendage as he inspected the changes to his body.

"So this is fifty percent, eh?" he mused, he voice slightly deeper. "We guess one hundred percent would give us two wings, but we don't think this body could take the stress of the full technique."

He grinned slightly as he clenched his right hand, an audible hiss of air escaping between his fingers, "Ero-sennin's 'Sage Mode' has nothing on this."

"Now, now," he scolded himself in a much deeper and calmer voice. "No matter how impressive this technique may look, we still wouldn't be able to fight one of the Sannin head to head."

Gently, he lifted off the ground, hovering effortlessly. He grinned, "Ah. So, when we're using the power of a dragon, whether Bankai or this form, we can fly under our own power without the need for wings or such the like."

His expression became serious as he turned his gaze toward the Chûnin Exams stadium, his altitude steadily increasing, "Hang on, old man. We're coming."

In an explosion of movement, he soared off towards the Sandaime's flickering and fading Reiryoku. He would not let the old man die. No matter what it took.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sandaime coughed up blood, grimacing as he glared at Orochimaru, "There was no need for me to dodge the blade! This Jutsu is a forbidden skill that costs the caster his life. It is a powerful sealing Jutsu that stopped even the biggest threat Konoha had ever faced!"

"W-what?" Orochimaru hissed. "You don't mean— the Kyubi no Yoko! Agh! Damn you, old man!"

The Sandaime suddenly blinked, looking at something behind his wayward student with surprise. Orochimaru twisted his head around, shock flitting across his face as he looked through the translucent purple barrier to see the face of the one he least expected floating several feet off the ground. An angry Uzumaki Naruto stood with his sword drawn, reciting an incantation.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast!" he cried, pointing both palms toward the barrier. "All creation, flutter of wings! Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm! Truth and temperance, upon this wall of sinless dream unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hadô no Sanjuusan and Rokujuusan: Sôkatsui Raikôhô!"

As Naruto broke through the barrier, Sandaime saw his chance with Orochimaru's distraction and tugged harder on the snake Sennin's soul, watching as it would be pulled no further than the perverse man's precious arms. His dark grimace deepened as Naruto's seething form hovered into the barrier, which closed up behind him.

"If you hurt the old man," the blonde spoke in a voice slightly deeper than normal. Sarutobi wondered for a brief moment if perhaps the Kyubi had taken over, but dismissed the thought when he could feel no foul energy. "We'll kill you ourselves."

_That_ stole the Sandaime's attention for a moment. Naruto was speaking as though he were two people merged into one. The old man's eyes flickered to the black feathered wing protruding from his favorite Genin's shoulder and he wondered just what had happened to the boy. There was a power exuding from the boy that was easily Jônin level, though it most certainly couldn't match the power he and Orochimaru were capable of.

A thought entered his head unbidden as he recalled who had been teaching the blonde for the better part of a month. Had Jiraiya taught the boy a technique to match his 'Sage Mode'? The Third mentally shook himself free of such thoughts, knowing that Jiraiya would never be so irresponsible as to teach such a dangerous skill to a mere Genin.

Sarutobi shook himself from all thoughts pertaining to the blond, knowing that they wouldn't matter in a moment or two. He would have to trust that the next Hokage would help the boy with any problems he had.

"_Now,"_ the old man turned his attention to the astral arms in front of him, tugging on the evil man's soul once more. It didn't budge. _"I guess this is my limit. Were it not for this sword, I would be able take all his soul. Damn."_

"It doesn't matter!" he cried aloud, tugging as hard as he could one last time. He managed to pull the right shoulder out too, guaranteeing that he was taking two arms and a lung. "The seal is set! The end is now! Shiki Fuin! Fuin!"

With a hiss that only the caster and the target could hear, a gleaming silver blade came down and severed the left arm, right shoulder, and right arm from Orochimaru's soul, sealing them inside the Sandaime's body. With a dark sizzle, the seal pattern drew itself on the elder man's torso as he fell backwards and Orochimaru's arms began to blacken.

As Sarutobi hit the roof with a soft thud, Orochimaru's arms fell to his sides limply. Naruto rushed to the Third's side as the Snake Sennin stared at his useless arms with something akin to horror and disbelief. Even before he kneeled down, though, Naruto knew instinctually that the old man was dead and gone. One of his precious people had died.

"You senile old fool!" Orochimaru yelled, glaring at his former teacher and ignoring Naruto. "Look what you've done! Come back to life so I can kill you again!"

"Orochimaru," the Snake Sennin stopped his rant as Naruto stood up, his voice cold. The blonde turned, frigid blue eyes freezing the evil man in place. "We warned you…that if you hurt the old man…"

A vicious aura lit up, surrounding the boy in a white haze, "We'd kill you ourselves!"

He moved forward to attack, sword poised for the snake-man's heart. Before he could make it there, however, a fist slammed into his body and sent him crashing into the tiles beneath him. They cracked and crumbled and Naruto slipped into unconsciousness, his black wing evaporating into the air.

Sakon stared at the blond for a moment, then rushed forward to help his master as the barrier collapsed. The other members of the Sound Four did likewise as the ANBU came down on them, swords set to kill. Kidomaru knocked them back as his comrades moved on, then followed them swiftly. The ANBU cursed as they pulled at the webbing that tied them down.

No more than a minute later, the wide lavender eyes of a Hyuga widened as their female owner rushed to the aid of her most precious person. Thankfully, all he suffered from was exhaustion and some minor bruising.

Sabaku no Gaara would later stumble into the Konoha hospital, searching for a certain blonde that had extended a hand of friendship. He would remain by the boy's side for the entirety of his remaining stay.

It was a most dark day in Konoha as the Sandaime's body was carried away. A most dark day indeed.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Allow me to explain how Naruto's power works. As a result of what the Kyuubi is (which is explained in the sequel), Naruto has far more spiritual energy mixed in with his chakra. By separating this excess spiritual energy to create a more balanced chakra, he can use this excess to cast Kido and other Shinigami techniques. When he says he's "run out", that means that there isn't any more excess for him to use without unbalancing his chakra.**

**Kinjutsu: Ryûjin no Torai means "Forbidden Skill: Advent of the Dragon God".**

**No, I'm not making Naruto super powerful. Naruto is a bit more cunning in this story and he's desperate not to use the Kyubi's chakra. To replace the demon's chakra, he's invented a new technique based on Jiraiya's 'Sage Mode'. He bribed the old pervert into showing it using Oiroke.**

**Yes, he can only use fifty percent. One hundred percent would be the equivalent of opening all eight of the Celestial Gates. He'd have amazing, almost unstoppable power for a few moments, then he'd die. That's something he's not willing to do. Using the technique itself at a mere fifty percent was enough of a risk because there was a chance his body would reject the changes it causes.**

**You're like, no way Naruto would be defeated like that. I'm like, uh huh. Being a ninja means you have to be paying attention to EVERYONE on the battlefield. Naruto wasn't, so Sakon managed to get a sucker punch in on him.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach**

_**Noli manare, manere in memoria…(Refuse to remain, remain in memory)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	4. Requiem for the Lost Ones

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Four: Requiem for the Lost Ones**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The room was dark, luminous numbers glowing from their place in its occupant's alarm clock. The windows were closed, covered by curtains to block out the daylight that would normally stream in. The entire room was silent, save for the quiet breathing of its owner and tenant.

Clothes were strewn all over the floor haphazardly, laying on the surface overtop of the hard wood. The door to his closet was ajar, showing the world all of the outfits he had stashed inside of it. They were all identical; a black sleeveless turtleneck vest, a pair of loose black pants, a black belt with a silver buckle, and two black sandals.

The bed sheets were a simplistic white, pristine and clean amongst the messy room and dark clothing he normally wore. The pillows were large and fluffy, though he had bought them at three times the normal price. He had saved up two months worth of his biweekly stipend from the Hokage just to buy those pillows.

The bright blue letters of his alarm clock read nine fifty two a.m., glaring at him through the blackness of his room. Sunlight, bleak and weak behind the dark clouds in the sky, tried in vain to break into the inky gloom, blocked by the heavy curtains over the windows. Dim sapphire stared dully at the floor.

"_These feelings,"_ he thought to himself, his expression blank, _"what are they?"_

An image flashed into his brain of a dark haired girl with pale eyes, her face lighting up in a fiery blush that no amount of her willpower could quell. His heart skipped a beat, as though it thought about quitting its job as a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Those pale lavender eyes lit up in happiness, a small smile breaking over the girl's face.

Three days had passed since the Sandaime had died, leaving behind a village without a Hokage to protect it. Two days afterwards, he had woken up in the hospital with a concerned Hyuga hovering over his bed and a bouquet of flowers on the nightstand next to it. He had been discharged a few hours later.

Truthfully, nothing had actually been physically wrong with him. Besides a few bruises, he hadn't had any wounds, and even if he had they would have healed quickly. He hadn't broken any bones, so there was nothing to set. He hadn't even had so much as a measly little paper cut. There hadn't been anything wrong with him.

Except exhaustion. Hinata had told him that he had been admitted to the hospital with a severe case of chakra exhaustion. The doctors had said, according to her, that he was so low on chakra, he was likely to slip into a coma. Thankfully, though the doctors had known this, the Kyubi wouldn't have let something like that happen. What threw him for a loop was that the doctors actually treated him like a normal patient.

Ever since he had gotten home, however, he had been thinking about one thing and one thing only. Hinata. Or rather, how he felt about her. It was…confusing, just as much as it was soothing. He hadn't felt anything like it before, not even with Sakura. Chasing after Sakura had been a plea for attention more than anything else, though there had been _some_ measure of attraction to it as well.

With Hinata, however, things were so much different. He was suddenly noticing things about her that he hadn't before. Her blush was suddenly a blush and not a fever, and it was suddenly cute as well. Her eyes were no longer creepy, but oddly pretty and majestic, like some sort of rare jewel.

His perception of her personality had changed as well. Before, no more than a month ago, he had thought of her as that dark, weird girl. Now, she was shy and timid and peaceful, but strong and graceful at the same time. There was a certain beauty to her as well, like he was staring as an angel every time he looked at her.

"I've never felt this way before," he muttered to himself, eyes narrowed as he stared at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

He tried to imagine something happening to her, something horrible. He tried to imagine Hinata on the edge of death, gasping as the life left her eyes. An unthinkable despair took hold of his heart, clenching it tightly as a thick block of ice plopped into his stomach like a glacier swaying in the sea.

He imagined a tall man with dark hair and pale skin, yellow eyes with slit pupils laughing at him as the man bared his teeth in a triumphant smirk. He imagined that this man, Orochimaru, was standing over the dead Hinata he had imagined earlier and felt an insurmountable rage take hold of himself.

He squashed the feeling mercilessly, like a bug beneath his shoe, reminding himself that it was all a part of his imagination. Still, the dark and vengeful emotion lingered, and would linger until he avenged Sarutobi's demise. He pushed the thought away as guilt and pain threatened to consume him, moving towards his original train of thought.

"_Why?"_ he asked silently, his mouth forming the words as no sound escaped. _"Why do I feel this way?"_

"There comes a time in every man's life where he must admit that the truth is," Hyôrinmaru spoke to him quietly, "he's fallen in love."

"Fallen in love," Naruto echoed, equally as quiet. "I don't know about that."

The dragon did not reply, vanishing into thin air as a knock echoed throughout the small room. A second later, the door opened to reveal the somber form of Hatake Kakashi, his little orange book conspicuously absent from his hands. Dressed in a black funeral uniform, his sensei looked every bit the mourning man he was supposed to be.

"Naruto," the serious and ominous tone to Kakashi's voice shook Naruto from his reverie, "it's time."

Nodding numbly, the blonde stood up quietly, slipping on a pair of black sandals as he went. Silent as a ghost, he followed his gray-haired sensei out of his apartment and through the streets. He knew what the older man had meant with those three words. He had been trying to avoid thoughts about the event for the sake of his sanity, but, eventually, the real world came back to bite you.

It was time…for Sarutobi's funeral.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"It's raining," Naruto noted quietly, watching as, one by one, the large procession stepped up to the casket and laid a white lily or chrysanthemum atop it. Each of them said his or her good byes quietly, so as not to disturb the thoughts or grief of others present. Each and every person was wearing identical black uniforms, dressed the part of mourning friends and family.

Rain poured down from the heavy black clouds above, soaking all that stood in front of the large wooden box that held their Sandaime. It was fitting, Naruto thought, that the heavens would cry for the old man when he could not. He had run out of tears in the hospital, crying on Hinata's shoulder.

Dull sapphire watched the proceedings with a soft apathy, their owner silent as thick globs of water pattered against the hard ground. A dense droplet ran down his nose, dripping off the edge and falling to the stone below. His thoughts were a chaotic mesh of guilt, pain, and confusion. The only sign of the torrent of emotion was the twitch of his lips.

By all accounts, he supposed that he shouldn't be placing the blame for the old man's death on his own shoulders. But he couldn't help but feel as if it was his fault the Sandaime Hokage had died. If he had been a little bit stronger, if he had been just a little bit faster, he may have been able to save the grandfatherly man.

Logically, he knew that no amount of extra strength would have helped him defeat Orochimaru in time to save the old Hokage. The elderly man had gone into battle with no intention of surviving to see the next day. He had known that he would die facing down Orochimaru, and he had died knowing that he had protected his village the best he could.

Naruto sighed almost imperceptibly. That didn't make it any easier to say good bye to the elderly ninja, though, and there was still a small amount of guilt telling him that he could have saved Sarutobi. The hardest part was watching those closest to the old man suffer in their grief.

Konohamaru sobbed a few feet away and Naruto wished he could comfort the young boy, but knew that nothing he could say would dry the boy's tears. Iruka was explaining death to the kid, about how people's dreams and beliefs died with them, but they continued to live on in the people who were precious to them. If possible, Konohamaru's sobs seemed to get louder.

Looking around, Naruto noticed that Kakashi had disappeared from the crowd, as though he were a specter that had guided his student here, and then vanished into the wind. Naruto frowned in thought, and then realized that his teacher was probably visiting the memorial stone that he had told his students about.

Naruto felt a small bit of pity for Kakashi, knowing that the older man had lost so much already. To lose the Sandaime, a grandfather to all that lived in his village, it must have been a harsh and painful blow. Naruto sighed. He doubted Orochimaru would ever realize or regret just how many people he had hurt that day.

He turned his gaze, watching as Hinata lay a white flower atop the coffin then bowed to it, her lips moving silently as she said something to the dead Hokage. As she stood again, she turned and walked away, following her family back home. Faintly, he could see pearly tears hovering at the edges of her eyes.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, it was his turn. He had no flower, as the parting gift he would give Sandaime would be a little more lasting and permanent. Slowly, the eyes of the procession on his back, he walked up to the thick wooden casket. For a long moment, he only stared at the smirking face in the picture.

He held out his empty hand, knowing that everyone was watching him like a hawk. He focused chakra, almost frowning as every ninja present tensed at his action, and concentrated on what he was going to do. Slowly, the particles of water in the air condensed and twisted to his will.

A shape began to form, after a few seconds, the water flowing over his palm and dancing as it shifted. The rain seemed to bend around the object that was forming, or else it merged with the water already there. Finally, after a minute of intense focus and concentration, a perfect rose made of ice sat in his hand. Imbued with his chakra and made from his special abilities, it would never melt.

"I know that you probably can't hear me," he set the flower down, knowing that everyone was listening. Light reflected off the ice, "but I'm going to miss you. You did a lot for me, and for this village."

He sighed, "I know…you died the way you wanted to die. You died defending the village. But that doesn't make it any easier for you to be gone. Konohamaru won't stop crying, you know. He keeps begging me to do something, to bring you back."

He chuckled lightly, "But I wouldn't, even if I could. Something tells me…that you're finally getting some much deserved rest. I wouldn't take that from you, force you back into our world, so full of responsibility."

He sighed again, "I know that you'd tell me not to and that you'd lecture me that it wouldn't bring any closure or satisfaction, but I'm going to do what I feel I need to anyway. I'm angry at you, old man, for leaving behind so much pain. But I'm angrier at Orochimaru."

His eyes sharpened, "I'm going to kill him."

The Hokage's eyes suddenly seemed stern and accusing, "I know, I know, vengeance isn't worth it in the end. I'm not doing it just for me. I'm doing it for all of the people he hurt by killing you."

He bowed, then stood straight again, "Next time I see you, I'll be as old as you are…Hokage-sama."

With his part said, he turned around and walked back towards the rest of the procession, feeling their eyes on him. In a blur and a soft swoosh, like that of a curtain billowing in the wind, he disappeared in front of everyone.

He reappeared walking down the empty street, rain splattering against his clothes and hair, dripping down his face. His eyes had returned to their dull sapphire, staring listlessly at the wet, soggy streets that seemed to stretch on forever. The roar of droplets pounding against the hard earth filled his ears with a loud buzz.

"Hey, kid," a familiar voice called quietly, halting his walk.

He looked up to the direction of the voice, his dull blue eyes blinking as rain bled into them. Jiraiya stood leaning up against the wall of a shop, his arms folded across his chest and his chiseled face set in a serious look. The older man's frown was grim, his hair somehow dry while the rest of the world was wet.

Naruto frowned himself, turning away as he made to move onward. He was going to go back home and try to forget the dull, throbbing pain he felt, even though he knew it would take time to fade. His mouth moved of its own accord, "Go away, Ero-sennin. I don't have time for your nonsense right now."

"I heard what you said," Jiraiya told him, stopping the boy in his tracks again. The Toad Sage's eyes narrowed as he spoke his next words. "Do you really intend to kill Orochimaru? That's not an easy task, you know."

Naruto paused, mulling over his own words as he tried to find the best way to address that question. He took a deep breath, and then let it out in one huge sigh, "Yeah, I'm going to kill that Snake Bastard, no matter what it takes. It might not be easy, but I'm going to do it anyway."

The blonde's fists clenched shut tightly, his fingernails digging into the fleshy skin of his palms. Blood leaked over his fingers, falling to the ground and mixing in with the dark rain water, "For all that he's taken from me. For all that he's taken from the village. For all that he's taken from Konohamaru. And for making Hinata-chan cry. I'll kill him."

There was a thick silence as his words hung in the air, then Jiraiya sighed a deep, exasperated sigh, "Against my better judgement, Naruto, I'm going to ask you a favor. It's not something I would normally ask of a Genin or even most Chûnin, but I think it's something you can handle."

Naruto eyed him skeptically, "What is it, Ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya's eye twitched at the nickname, but he pretended to ignore it, "I'm going to look for my teammate. We need her back here for something, so I have to go find her and convince her to come back. Would you come with me?"

"You said you were reluctant to take me, if not in so many words," Naruto said, eyes narrowed. "Is that because we're going to see Orochimaru while we're gone?"

Jiraiya shrugged, "There's a chance that he'll search for her to get his arms healed, but the chances of us actually meeting him are slim."

Naruto looked at the ground, "Slim is still good enough. Alright, I'll come with you on this trip of yours, but you better teach me some more Jutsu. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow," Jiraiya said, "so get your things packed as soon as you get home. Meet me at the front gate at ten sharp."

In a poof of smoke, the older ninja disappeared from his spot, leaving Naruto alone once more on the streets. Turning back around, Naruto vanished from where he stood in a blur and a soft swoosh, like that of clothing fluttering in the breeze. Two pale eyes stared worriedly at where he had been a mere second before.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun rose, casting light on vibrant blonde hair. Birds chirped in the distance, greeting the morning with an enthusiasm that no one could match. Wind blew through the tall trees and their leaves, ruffling the hair of the young ninja standing still, ready for the next chapter in his life.

The blonde boy smiled brightly, breathing in the rich summer air and inhaling the scent of nature so plentiful around his village. Lightly, he fingered the strap of his pack, marveling at the amount of strength he had gained since it weighed so little to him now. When first starting his mission to the Land of Waves, it had seemed so heavy and cumbersome. Now, it felt almost weightless.

He loved nature, simple as that. It might have something to do with the elemental dragon that shared his soul and it might have something to do with the demon fox sealed in his navel, but the smell and presence of nature always made him feel better, no matter the situation. The rest of the world just seemed to melt away into the slipstream of time.

All too soon, he was drawn from his euphoria by a familiar voice, one that he recognized easily after spending so much time with the man. Jiraiya called out to him, "Hey, kid, ready to go?"

"Sure, Ero-sennin," Naruto said, laughing as Jiraiya fumed.

"I thought I told you not to call me that!" Jiraiya yelled angrily, a vein throbbing dangerously on his forehead and pounding against his hitai-ate. Naruto only laughed harder, walking past the elder man.

"Naruto-kun!" Naruto stopped laughing and turned around, only to be hit with the force equivalent to a torpedo as an indigo-haired girl threw herself into his arms, squeezing him tight.

"Oof!" Naruto gasped as the air was expelled forcefully from his lungs, Hinata clinging to him as though he were the only thing keeping her alive. His look of surprise melted away and he gently wrapped his arms around her, smiling peacefully.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," he whispered, trying to calm his heart as it sped away, reacting to her close presence. She buried her face in his shoulder, suddenly aware that he had grown several inches over the span of the month before the finals.

Naruto's eyes went wide as saucers as she leaned up and planted a warm kiss on his lips, her own pair so soft and gentle that he felt like he had died and gone to heaven. As she pulled back, a blush lit up both their faces. Smiling shyly, she whispered to him, "Stay safe, Naruto-kun."

A loud laugh broke the moment, wolf-whistles being sent their way. Jiraiya cackled gleefully, a notepad in his palms as he called out to the blond boy, yelling, "Way to go, Naruto!"

Naruto turned a glare at the elder man as he continued to laugh, and then moved his attention back onto the girl in his arms. Smiling, he pulled her into a warm hug, whispering gently into her ear, "I'll see you later, Hinata-chan."

Letting her go, he turned back towards the road, gesturing to the old ninja with a scowl on his lips, "Come on, you old lecher, let's get going."

Hinata couldn't help but giggle as Jiraiya fumed at his new student, chasing after Naruto and swinging his notepad around for emphasis. They'd be gone for a little while, but they would be back soon enough.

"Oh, yeah!" Naruto reached into his pack and pulled out a small scroll, one that the old man had given him the day before the Chûnin Exams. He unfurled it and started reading, "I wonder what Ossan had to say."

Naruto's eyes zipped back and forth as he read the shocking words on the scroll, his mouth slowly falling open. He whispered, "No way!"

"What?" Jiraiya looked back at him with a curious expression on his face.

"Uh," Naruto stuttered, "nothing."

He turned his attention back to the scroll and read it over again.

_Dear Naruto-kun,_

_If you are reading this then I must have died fighting Orochimaru at the Chûnin Exam Finals. Whether or not he has died as well is not known to me, though I am sure I tried my hardest. The information I am about to disclose must be made known to the new Hokage as long as you believe he or she to be trustworthy enough._

_I'm sure you remember the ANBU that I had look after you when you were younger. In particular, I speak of the weasel masked ANBU, whose real name was Uchiha Itachi. If you have not already heard, he wiped out his entire family several years ago, leaving only young Sasuke behind. He has since been declared an S-rank Missing Ninja. _

_What was never made public, Naruto-kun, was that he killed the Uchiha clan on my orders in order to stop the next advent of Uchiha Madara, the most dangerous man in Konoha history. Only myself, Itachi, Homura, Koharu, and Danzo know of this, and I assure you that they would not tell anyone._

_Itachi-kun is powerful. There are not many ninja of his caliber and most of them are rogues. It has become necessary, however, to bring him back. Something disturbing is on the horizon, Naruto-kun, and we need Itachi-kun in Konoha more than anything. Do what you can to ensure that he is brought back home._

_On a more personal note, Naruto-kun, I believe it is time for you to know the truth about your heritage. I am sorry to have kept it from you for so long, but you will be slightly relieved to know that they are both dead, so they didn't abandon you. It was my intention not to tell you until later on, when you had grown some more and were strong enough to hold your own against some of the best, but you have grown faster than I anticipated. For that reason, I can tell you that you are Namikaze Naruto, son of the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and his wife, Uzumaki Kushina. _

_Your parents would be proud of you, Naruto-kun, just as I am, and your father would be disappointed in his village. If nothing else, remember, Naruto-kun, that they loved you enough to die to keep you safe._

_The Old Man,  
Sarutobi-jiisan_

Naruto rolled the scroll up and bit his lip to keep from tearing up.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Kakashi leaned against the wall of a small restaurant, more of a simple dango shop than anything, his hands tucked inside of his pockets. He was waiting for his student, Uchiha Sasuke, to show up, so that they could get some training done. Naruto, he knew, was going on a trip with Jiraiya to look for Tsunade.

Beyond that, however, Kakashi was also keeping an eye on the two suspicious men sitting inside of the establishment he was leaning on. After hearing of the Akatsuki from Jiraiya, anyone suspicious that entered the village was a potential member of the dangerous group, so he would not let them out of his sight.

Besides, one of the men seemed awfully familiar, in an ominous and foreboding sort of way. If his suspicions were correct, they could be in a great deal of trouble.

Kakashi looked up as Kurenai and Asuma walked down the street side by side towards him, "Hey, you two, you look good together. Are you on a date or something?"

"Idiot!" Kurenai blushed scarlet, glaring at him. "Anko asked me to pick up some dango for her."

"What about you, Kakashi?" Asuma asked, grinning. "You picking up sweets, too?"

"No," Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, "I'm actually meeting Sasuke here. I'm waiting for him."

Kakashi's eye narrowed almost imperceptibly as the shorter of the two suspicious men tightened his grip on the clay mug of tea in his hand, the material groaning under the pressure of his strength.

If Asuma and Kurenai noticed, they didn't show it as Asuma said, with a smirk, "It's very rare to see you waiting on someone."

"Kakashi," Sasuke walked up, his usual scowl in place, "it's very different for you to arrive first."

"Well," Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, "for some occasions."

Sasuke glanced inside the dango shop to see a plate of dango and two steaming, half-full mugs of tea sitting at an empty table, as if the occupants had left in a hurry. Kakashi nodded to the other two Jounin standing across from him and they both disappeared, leaving the Copy-nin alone with his student.

Asuma and Kurenai followed the mysterious men all the way to a walkway by Konoha's river system, standing in front of the two with a serious look on each of their faces. The strange, cloak-wearing figures stopped, the shorter of the two lifting his hat as if to get a better look at them.

"It's been a while," the shorter one said, his red eyes peering into theirs, "Asuma-san, Kurenai-san."

"You!" Kurenai gasped, eyes wide in surprise and a slight bit of fear.

"Heh," Asuma's cigarette twitched as he spoke, "there's no doubt about it."

The shorter man took his hat off, then unsnapped part of his cloak, resting his left arm in it like a sling. He stared at them impassively, his black hair swaying slightly in the wind.

Asuma's eyes narrowed, "Uchiha Itachi."

"So," the taller man said, taking his hat off as well, "I see you already know Itachi. Guess I better introduce myself as well."

He threw the hat away, grinning at the two Jounin with shark teeth, "Hoshigaki Kisame. Pleased to meet you."

"Itachi," Asuma scowled, "you're pretty brave to come back here after what you did."

Itachi didn't respond, but Asuma could have sworn he glimpsed a small amount of regret deep in those bloody eyes. It was gone before he could confirm it, so he just shook it off as his own imagination.

"Heh," Kisame chuckled, "your village doesn't seem too fond of you, Itachi."

"Asuma-san, Kurenai-san, please do not interfere with my affairs," Itachi said calmly. "I would prefer not to kill you."

"That's a pretty strange thing to here from your mouth, Itachi," Asuma said. "After all, you didn't have a problem with slaying your entire clan."

"There were circumstances beyond your knowledge," Itachi told him, the first traces of a scowl crossing his lips. "If you knew what I do, then you would be thanking me."

"What's your purpose for being here?" Kurenai asked, her gaze firm.

Kisame swung his large package off of his back and to the concrete, grinning toothily, "Enough small talk. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty."

"Don't kill them," Itachi warned, "just make sure they can't get back to the village to stop us."

Kisame suddenly lashed out, making a vertical slash with his sword. Asuma drew his trench knives, crossing the blades together to form an x-shaped block that stopped clothed weapon short. Asuma grinned as Kurenai flashed through hand seals and disappeared into thin air.

Steadily, however, Kisame's weapon lowered itself until it rested against Asuma's upper biceps, proving that Kisame indeed had an advantage in strength. The fish-like man grinned as the bandages on his sword were torn to shreds, revealing the true form of his infamous and formidable blade.

He yanked it backwards, dragging its surface over Asuma's arm and causing a good deal of damage, "My Samehada doesn't cut, it shaves!"

As Kisame pulled his sword back for another strike, his legs began to sink into the ground. Simultaneously, tree roots shot from the ground and wound their way around Itachi's prone form, ensnaring him in their trap. Kurenai emerged from the tree a few feet above Itachi's head, kunai poised to kill him as she said, "This is the end."

In an instant, Kurenai was the one trapped in the tree and Itachi was standing in front of her, his gaze impassive, "Genjutsu of this level has no effect on me, Kurenai-san."

Scowling, Kurenai bit her lip in an attempt to release the Genjutsu, freeing herself just in time to block a kick from Itachi that sent her into the river.

"Kurenai!" Asuma yelled, even as Kisame lifted his sword up for another strike, _one-handed_.

"Not paying attention will get you killed," Kisame smirked.

"As expected of Kurenai-san," Itachi told Kurenai, standing behind her as she sat up on the water surface.

"This is it," a voice said behind the Uchiha, "for you."

Asuma ducked under the second slash, moving in as the man hefted his sword once more. He shot a punch at Kisame's head, missing by several centimeters as the fish-man tilted to the left slightly. Regardless, a cut carved itself into the missing-nin's cheek, bleeding sluggishly.

"Suiton," Kisame flashed through hand seals, water swirling around him.

"Suikoudan on jutsu!" a voice called in time with his, unleashing an identical attack simultaneously. The two techniques twisted together, negating each other and splashing back to the ground.

A silver haired Jounin stood in front of Asuma, glaring at Kisame, and a second one stood behind Itachi holding a kunai out threateningly.

"Kage Bunshin," Kurenai muttered, glancing at the Kakashi that stood behind the Uchiha.

"Hatake Kakashi," Itachi turned his head, gazing into Kakashi's Sharingan eye with his own. His eyes quickly darted over to Kisame, "Move, Kisame."

"Huh?" the blue-skinned man asked incredulously.

"Against a single opponent, you would resolve this matter quickly," Itachi told him. "However, you are about to face multiple opponents, which would take a great deal more time. Time is something we don't have, and we did not come here to die."

"Then why are you here?" Kakashi asked, the Kage Bunshin on the land dissipating into smoke.

"We're looking for something," Itachi said plainly.

Kakashi flashed through hand seals, "Suiton: Suijinheki!"

The jutsu aimed at him from all sides collided with his water wall, stopping short of its target. Kakashi glared as the liquid fell back into the river, wary of any tricks his enemy might pull.

"You are skilled, as expected," Itachi said, his face calm.

A second Uchiha stabbed Kakashi in the back, "Isn't that right?"

Kakashi dissolved into water and Kurenai saw her chance, reaching for a kunai to strike the Itachi in front of her. Kakashi suddenly leapt at her, pulling her beneath the water as the man she had been about to kill exploded, singeing the Copy-nin's back.

"For someone who is not of Uchiha blood, you are quite skilled with that eye, Kakashi-san," Itachi closed his eyes. "Now…I shall show you…the true power of the Sharingan!"

"Close your eyes, now!" Kakashi commanded, leaving only his Sharingan open.

The silver-haired Jounin's breath caught in his throat as Itachi's eyes opened, then he collapsed to his knees, panting as though he had run a marathon. His body ached with phantom pains, as though he actually had been stabbed thousands of times in the span of seventy-two hours.

"Guh," Kakashi groaned, fighting to stay conscious, "you're after Sasuke, aren't you?

"No," Itachi said calmly, his penetrating gaze stabbing into Kakashi's soul. "We are after the Yondaime's Legacy."

"What?" Kakashi asked incredulously. "What do you want with him? Your target…it's the Kyubi inside of Naruto, isn't it? Your organization…Akatsuki."

Itachi tensed, eyes wide, then he glanced to his right almost imperceptibly before his shoulders seemed to sag in relief. In a tense tone, he said, "Kisame…take Kakashi-san out."

Kisame hefted his sword, dashing towards Kakashi with the intention of killing the silver-haired man. A green blur leapt from the trees to his right, colliding with him in a cry of, "Konoha Gouriki Senpuu!"

A tall man with a bowl-cut wearing a green spandex suit stood straight, grinning charmingly, "Konoha's Green Beast! Maito Gai!"

Kisame stood, rubbing his cheek gingerly and glaring at the Jounin, "You're Konoha's Green Beast, huh? I think I'll just call you an exotic animal."

Kakashi suddenly pitched forward into the water, unconscious. Gai lifted him onto his shoulder, glaring at Itachi fiercely. There was a heavy pause where Itachi seemed to be considering his options, then he spoke.

"Kisame," Itachi said calmly. "We're leaving."

In a blur, both Itachi and his partner disappeared from Konoha, leaving nothing behind but their hats. All three Jounin relaxed, glad that the threat had left for the moment.

One sentence rang throughout Kakashi's mind, piercing through his skull even in his unconscious state.

"_Kakashi-san…please, take care of Naruto-kun for me…"_

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto rose from the comfortable bed with a loud, angry sigh, his right eyebrow twitching dangerously as he moved towards the door to his spacious hotel room. It had been a day or two since he and the perverted old man had left Konoha searching for this Tsunade woman. Jiraiya had just blown him off so that he could go mess around with some hot girl that had given him nothing more than a wink.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Naruto shouted as a second, much more insistent knock resounded throughout the room, echoing off of the walls.

Suppressing a growl as a third knock pounded against the heavy wooden door, he took a calming breath to cool his anger. When he was sure he wouldn't blow up at his guests, he opened the hotel door and greeted the two men behind it with a bright smile and a friendly, "Hello!"

"Hello, Naruto-kun," came the return greeting from a young, black-haired teen, his long locks tied, for the most part, in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His red eyes swirled with the legendary Sharingan, his impassive gaze flickering with hesitation for a second as if he were unsure about doing his task. "We'd like you to come with us."

A taller, blue-skinned man stood next to him, gazing down at Naruto with a skeptical look, "Is this brat really the Kyubi's vessel?"

"Come out of the room," the black-haired teen said firmly, and Naruto felt himself obeying, stepping outside of the room's safety.

"Alright!" the blue man cried excitedly, grasping the hilt of the object on his back. "Let's get this started. After all, we don't need him running away! Let's cut off a leg!"

Naruto suddenly realized that he was in danger, and that his Hitai-ate was sitting over on the bed with the rest of the stuff he had packed. Scowling, he yanked his sword free at an impressive speed, swinging it towards the teenager.

The teen held up two fingers, blocking the blade effortlessly. He frowned, however, as blood began to trickle down his hand. He had indeed blocked the sword, but it had still cut into his skin, despite his fingers being reinforced with chakra to protect them. That was most troubling.

"Tch," Naruto's scowl deepened as he pulled back his sword, standing straight with his eyes narrowed. "Let's take this somewhere a bit more open."

In a blur, all three of them vanished from the hallway. Uchiha Sasuke rounded the corner a second later, staring at the door that had been left ajar and the empty hall that stood before him, baffled and feeling as if he had missed something important that may have changed something fundamental about his world.

The three ninja appeared once more in a huge clearing outside of the city, a large building standing at the edge of one side and a wall of trees guarding the other. Naruto scowled at the two men across from him, gauging their strength and the amount of power he would need to beat them. He sighed.

"I don't suppose you guys would just leave, huh?" he asked, receiving narrowed eyes from the teen and a dark chuckle from the fish-man. He gripped his sword tightly. "Very well."

A bright aura lit up around him, casting deep shadows against the trees and shocking his enemies. He swung his sword forward, his voice cold and calm, "Bankai."

There was a blinding flash of light, forcing the two Akatsuki members to look away in fear of blindness. Seconds later, the flash died down and the two of them stared at the creature that now stood before them.

Wings of ice spread outward, giving a single, bird-like flap. They were attached to his back, covering his shoulders with a protective layer. Beneath the wings was a large tail of ice that flicked back and forth, as if it belonged to him. A thick layer of jagged ice covered the blonde's right arm, encasing his fist and the hilt of his sword in a dragon's head. His feet were covered in ice as well, forming what appeared to be a dragon's paws. His left arm, from elbow to wrist, was also covered in ice, a claw like paw attached to the wrist.

The hilt guard on the sword appeared to be the only thing that had changed about the katana, morphing into an eight-point star. Four ice flowers, each with four petals, hovered around the blonde's form. Naruto's eyes were frigid blue, "Daiguren Hyôrinmaru." (Great Crimson Lotus Ice Ring)

A thin layer of ice covered the ground, merging the grass and dirt into one solid mass of flat frozen liquid. It seemed to stretch the length of the clearing, and even farther, if the frosted trees and bushes were any measure. The sky above had darkened with black clouds, blocking out most of the sunlight.

"You sure this is the Kyubi brat?" the blue-skinned man asked his companion. The teen merely nodded in response.

With a battle cry, Naruto left the ground, soaring towards the shark-man with his sword poised to stab through him. Too surprised to move, Naruto's blade sank into the blue-skinned freak's chest, piercing through the other side like a hot knife through a slab of butter. Ice spread rapidly from the point of contact, freezing over the ninja's body and creating a long line of ice behind that man that was easily half as tall him.

Naruto scowled as the man trapped in his ice vanished in a poof of smoke, revealing him to be a Kage Bunshin disguised as his enemy. Naruto turned cold eyes towards the two men, realizing that he just might be out of his league.

"Whew!" the blue-skinned man sighed in relief. "That was close! Thanks for saving me, Itachi!"

"Itachi?" Naruto's eyes widened, then took on an angry gleam. "Itachi—i!"

He charged forward again, his left hand slipping into his kunai pouch under the cover of his wing. Surprised at the sudden outburst, Itachi barely dodged the blade as it cut through his cloak just inches from the left side of stomach, bent over with his head near Naruto's right shoulder. He was even more stunned as he realized that the charge had merely been a distraction, as Naruto's left hand pushed something into his right sleeve: a scroll.

"I know the truth," the blonde whispered into his ears, "Itachi-niisan."

"Then you know," Itachi whispered back, pressing his still bleeding fingers against Naruto's bare forehead. The blood trickled down into Naruto's eyes, which flashed red for a second as he blinked, "that I will always protect you…otouto."

With a gentle strength, Itachi pushed Naruto back several yards, watching as the blonde steadied himself effortlessly. Muttering under his breath, Naruto held out his free hand, palm forward, and recited a single sentence, "Hadô no Sanjuusan: Sôkatsui!"

A ball of blue fire shot forward, scattering both of the black-cloaked ninja. The moment Kisame landed, Naruto was upon him, stabbing. The blue-skinned man leaned backwards, the silvery sword slicing a small cut into his clothes at the shoulder. There was a second stab and Kisame ducked under this one, too, undamaged.

With a grunt, Naruto swung his sword instead of stabbing, watching as Kisame leapt over it almost gracefully, flipping and landing behind him. Spinning on the spot, Naruto let loose another slash, cutting right through his foe. Kisame splashed into water, which froze before it could even completely lose its shape.

Growling, Naruto stabbed one of the pieces of ice, skewering it. Hefting it, he swung again and the huge chunk shot forward. It shattered completely against the thick bulk of Samehada. Kisame's grin revealed a mouth full of row upon row of sharp, pointed teeth that fit his shark-like appearance oddly well.

Naruto smirked, bringing his free hand up into a flurry of hand seals. Upon the last one, he declared, "Sensatsu Suisho!"

The shattered pieces of ice quickly melted, morphing into a tight cage of a thousand water needles. A look of shock crossed Kisame's face for a moment, then he was skewered, only to fall apart into water once more. The real one was standing a short distance away, his grin still stretching across his face.

Naruto scowled, his grip on his sword tightening. Then, he vanished, reappearing several feet in front of Kisame with his sword poised to strike. The blue-skinned man swung down at the same time as Naruto swung diagonally. With a loud clang, the swords met in a ferocious battle of steel.

Then, with apparent ease, Hyôrinmaru cleaved right through Samehada, cutting the large sword in half at the middle. The larger half, the one that was all blade and no hilt, flew off in the direction of Naruto's strike, landing several yards away on the ice.

Naruto's slit pupils gazed up at Kisame as he spoke, "Hyôrinmaru and I predicted the thickness, density, and durability of your blade and strengthened our own accordingly. This allowed us to destroy your weapon, and thus, the main point of your attack. If I had used chakra, you may still have your sword. It seems, however, that Samehada is intolerable of Reiryoku."

Kisame actually growled, "Why, you little—!"

"Kisame," Itachi warned, "we're leaving. Jiraiya-sama will be here soon."

"Tch," Kisame scoffed, "next time, brat, I'll _kill_ you."

In a blur, both of them vanished.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"_This_ is Tanzaku-Gai?" Naruto asked, staring at the destroyed area in front of him, the remains of a decimated castle. Jiraiya nodded solemnly.

Had a larger area been affected by the carnage, 'natural disaster' might have been a believable excuse for the destruction that had occurred, but such wasn't the case. The castle was all that had been razed to the ground, so the culprit could only have been a summoned animal of some sort, or one of the tailed beasts.

"This has Tsunade written all over it," Jiraiya said calmly, a frown on his lips. "By the way, how far have you gotten on that Rasengan?"

"I'm still having a bit of trouble with stage three, but it shouldn't take me much longer to figure it out," Naruto glanced at Jiraiya. "Should we really be discussing my progress when we're searching for Tsunade?"

"No, I suppose not," Jiraiya admitted. "But, it's too late in the day to do much of anything, so let's go eat some dinner, huh?"

Nodding, Naruto followed Jiraiya dutifully as the elder man led him to a restaurant nearby. The moment he stepped inside, he was viciously assaulted by the quiet noise of the pub and no one seemed to notice his entrance. He might as well have dropped a pin in the middle of this calamity, he may have actually gotten more attention.

"Speak of the devil," Jiraiya muttered, looking at something that Naruto couldn't pinpoint.

The elder man's appearance suddenly took on one of excitement as he waved, calling out cheerfully, "Tsunade-hime!"

A blonde woman, apparently Tsunade, looked up at them, startled, "Jiraiya? What are you doing here?"

Naruto looked at the woman as Jiraiya led him through the crowd and onto the couch stool that sat on the opposite side of Tsunade's table. Somehow, when he had heard of the great Tsunade, he had expected a wrinkled old woman that could rival Jiraiya in terms of age. But before him sat a beautiful woman who seemed to be somewhere in her mid twenties.

Then there was the girl who sat with the blonde-haired Slug Sennin, and she seemed to be about Kakashi's age, if he were any accurate a guess. She seemed like the timid type, one who didn't often speak up out of turn. She seemed kind of subdued, though Naruto had no idea why.

"Today…" Tsunade broke the awkward silence, "I met with someone who brings back a lot of bad memories."

"Orochimaru, you mean?" Jiraiya asked, absently noting the sudden anger Naruto was trying to squash. "Did anything happen?"

Tsunade shot a quick glare at Shizune, then responded nonchalantly, "Nothing much. Just a little greeting."

She gave him a look.

"You're here, too," she pointed out. "Why? What's the reason for this unexpected reunion?"

Jiraiya fixed her with a serious stare, "Konoha's Elder Council has issued a request for you to become the Godaime Hokage."

Both girls' eyes widened, a shocked look passing over their faces. Naruto stared at him incredulously, then looked back and forth between the two members of the Sannin, wondering if he had heard right. This blonde woman was going to become Hokage? Why wasn't he told?

"The Third," Jiraiya looked down sadly. "Sarutobi-sensei is…"

"Orochimaru told me," Tsunade said, her expression stoic. "It was his work."

"You met with Orochimaru?" Naruto asked her heatedly. "And you didn't kill him?"

"Who is this brat?" Tsunade asked Jiraiya.

"He's Uzumaki…"

"I'm _Namikaze_ Naruto," the blonde boy interrupted, standing up, "and I—!"

"And he's made it his personal mission to kill Orochimaru," Jiraiya interjected, pulling the kid back into his seat. He gave the blond a wary look, slightly alarmed that he knew his true heritage. He changed the subject, "So, what's your answer?"

There was a long pause, as though she was thinking about it, considering the offer, then, "I decline."

"What?" Naruto stood up again, glaring at her. "Konoha offers you the position of Hokage on a silver platter and you simply turn it away like yesterday's news? Damn you! This is important!"

Tsunade chuckled, "Jiraiya, this brat is worse than your previous student…in terms of looks, speech, and intelligence."

"It's hard to compete with the Fourth…" Jiraiya started. "He had the talent. Talent that only comes alone once per generation. He was like me: smart, reliable, and handsome!"

"But even the Fourth died quickly," Tsunade said bitterly. "He sacrificed himself for his village. Life is different from money. It can't be gambled so easily, and whoever does is a fool."

"If you have nothing you would die for," Naruto hissed quietly, eyes narrowed, "then you're not truly alive."

Jiraiya frowned in disappointment, "You've changed, Tsunade."

"Age changes people," she waved her hand, as if brushing off the question, "but only a fool would be Hokage."

Plates and food jumped off the table as Naruto tried to jump over it, intent on beating her up. Jiraiya had grabbed him by the back of his vest, preventing his blonde student from jumping into a battle he had no hope of winning. Naruto glared at her, scowling as if he had practiced it for years.

"Let me go, Jiraiya!" Naruto growled. "_No one_ says that about Tousan or Ossan!"

"You do realize we're in a bar, don't you?" Jiraiya asked rhetorically.

"I don't care if she's a woman!" Naruto hissed. "I'm going to beat the shit out of her!"

Tsunade stood up, glaring at Naruto as she planted one foot up on the table, "You've got guts to say that to me. Let's take this outside!"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Tsunade smirked, standing about ten yards from Naruto, holding up a her right index finger, "I've been one of the Sannin since before you were even born. I don't have to take this seriously. One finger should do."

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge, Tsunade-hime," Jiraiya warned her as Naruto seethed. "He shows even more promise than Minato-kun."

"If you won't take me seriously," Naruto said coldly as he yanked his sword from its sheath. "Then I'll just have to force you!"

He rushed her, swinging his sword in a downward arc. She ducked inside his guard, poking his sword arm with enough force to jerk it backwards, then reached into his kunai holster and grabbed one with a single finger. She spun it into a reverse-grip, slashing upwards with enough force to dislodge his hitai-ate.

Naruto tried to steady himself, moving his feet until he was sure he wouldn't fall, then he turned his gaze back to his opponent, shocked to see a finger poised to hit his forehead. With more strength than he believed she could have possessed, she flicked him with her index finger, sending him flying several yards back and to the ground.

"Why are you so obsessed with the Hokage title?" Tsunade asked, her hands on hips.

"Because it's my dream to be Hokage!" Naruto shouted at her.

Tsunade looked down distractedly, biting her lip as if she were faced with some unthinkable decision.

"Che!" Naruto scoffed as he stood, rubbing his forehead. "I guess Bankai would be too big for such an enclosed street like this."

He stabbed his sword into the ground, flashing through hand seals as he called out the name of his technique, "Kinjutsu: Ninpô: Ryûjin no Torai!"

"Advent of the Dragon God?" Tsunade whispered bewilderedly. "What kind of technique is—?"

His flesh rippled as the muscles beneath them condensed and strengthened, his pupils thinning and lengthening into slits instead of the normal round circles. There was a sickening squelch as a black-feathered wing tore itself free from his back and his shirt, folding up against his side.

In a blur of motion, Naruto and his sword vanished, reappearing behind Tsunade and swinging downwards. The blond woman turned around, stopping the gleaming silver blade with her index and middle fingers. She glared at him as he smirked at her, his animalistic eyes shining in the moonlight that roved over his face. And, she noticed, he was hovering in midair, his feet level with her knees

"We could have sworn you said something about 'only one finger'," Naruto said, his voice deeper and cooler, a certain smoothness to it that hadn't been there before. "It's impressive that you're not bleeding, but what ever happened to beating us with a single finger, Tsunade-hime?"

"Watch your mouth, brat," Tsunade growled, glaring at him.

"Oh dear, we're sorry. We've been such a bad boy," the blond said, rearing his free hand back. Chakra gathered, swirling in his palm dangerously. "We haven't quite gotten this thing down, but we daresay it should be good enough."

The hand jerked forward, an unstable ball of white chakra hovering above it as Naruto cried out, "Rasengan!"

Tsunade leapt backwards, watching as the orb flew through the spot she had just vacated and collided with the solid ground, carving a deep gouge in the earth. She could only look on in amazement as he stood back up and grinned at her, the bruise on his forehead from her earlier attack already healed.

"Jiraiya!" she suddenly rounded on her old teammate, glaring at him. "Was it you who taught him those techniques? Rasengan and this…Ryûjin no Torai?"

"The Rasengan I can lay claim to," Jiraiya said calmly. "After all, if only in principle, I _am_ his teacher. The other thing, though…it looks remarkable like my 'Sage Mode', but I would _never_ teach him such a thing." He neglected to mention that he _had_ shown it to the kid, though.

"Teaching him something he can't learn and pretending to be his teacher, you're a fool," she replied, venom in her voice. "It's better if he doesn't think that way, so that he won't joke about idiotic dreams like 'becoming Hokage'."

"It's not a joke, hag!" Naruto yelled at her, face twisted in rage as his wing twitched angrily. "Give us three days and we'll have that technique figured out!"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched, "Is that a bet?"

Naruto smirked, "What are the stakes?"

"I'll give you one week," she also smirked. "If you can master the Rasengan in that time, I'll acknowledge your skill and give this necklace."

She thumbed the pendant around her neck, "But if you lose, all your money is mine. Deal?"

"Deal."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto stared at his handiwork as his clones disappeared and their knowledge became his, proud that he had managed to get so far into the completion of his Rasengan. It had taken the better part of the week, but all of his hard work and determination had paid off. He grinned at the demolished tree, upon which was a hole that put to shame the one Jiraiya had made in demonstration.

The landscape had changed drastically since he had started his training. In the beginning, it had been a small river surrounded by an ocean of stones and a few lush trees. While it hadn't been the prettiest site in the world, it certainly held some measure of aesthetic quality to it. It had been a healthy environment.

Now, however, that landscape had changed drastically from what it had been into what it was. Several of the rocks had been demolished and destroyed, leaving behind nothing but faint blankets of dust and pebble. The trees, once lust and baring lively green foliage, had been torn to shreds by the shear power of the Rasengan.

Naruto looked up at the last remaining tree, standing tall and proud amongst its fallen brethren and the rocks that had lost any sense of shape or form. He grinned, gathering chakra into the bare palm of his right hand. An orb came to life, rotating at high speeds a few centimeters above his palm.

With a war cry, Naruto charged the tree, right hand held back as he rushed forward. He thrust his hand forth, at the tree, and called out the name of his technique, the name of the Yondaime's technique, "Rasengan!"

The orb of chakra buried itself into the trunk of the tree, digging into the bark and carving a hole the size of a volleyball into the thick, sturdy wood. There was a whining sound, like that of chainsaw cutting into a tree, and several grooves carved themselves into the thick bark and wood around the hole.

Naruto jumped back as the tree began to fall over, grinning at his success with the supposed A-rank jutsu Jiraiya had taught to him. Tomorrow, when he went to show Tsunade how far he had made it, she would be surprised to see that he had mastered the jutsu that she had said he couldn't.

His grin widened. She should know better than to bet against him.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Tsunade stood against Kabuto, Orochimaru's assistant, and Orochimaru himself. The fight had only begun a little while ago, but a tie seemed imminent. Orochimaru, without use of his arms, was almost useless, but with Kabuto helping him, they made a powerful team.

Shizune, a drugged and sluggish Jiraiya, and Naruto all arrived on the scene, skidding to a halt a score of yards away from the battle. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of the silver-haired boy standing next to the snake Sennin. Tsunade was frozen, covered in blood not her own.

"Kabuto," Naruto growled. "So, you've been working for the Snake-perv all this time?"

"My, my, Naruto-kun," Kabuto drawled, fixing his glasses, "so you finally noticed. You're so thick, Naruto-kun. That's why you can't compare to Sasuke-kun."

Naruto glared, his eyes turning into chips of ice.

"Even if you make such a scary face at me, you're nothing more than an out of place Genin," Kabuto told him. "For a Genin, you have some skill, but with the Sannin in front of me, you're worthless."

"Tch," Naruto scowled as he unsheathed his sword, holding it out in front of himself. His lips curled around the word as he said it in a thick, strong voice. "Bankai!"

The wings, tail, claws, and gauntlet all formed instantly, followed quickly by four flowers, each with as many petals. The guard on the sword doubled, taking on four more points to the already four-pointed star. Blue eyes narrowed as the sky above darkened, a light sprinkling of snow beginning to fall.

"Orochimaru was lucky before," he said, glaring at Kabuto, who seemed unaffected. "If he had been alone in that box, I would easily have cleaved his head from his shoulders. As it is, that gray-haired freak of his got in a lucky shot. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Big talk from a Genin," Kabuto said calmly. "What makes you think you can actually take on Orochimaru-sama? He has several years of experience on you and everyone in the entirety of the elemental nations recognizes him as one of the strongest ninja ever. He'll crush you…effortlessly."

Snarling, Naruto sent a hail of ice spikes towards his enemy in response, watching as Kabuto easily dodged it, leaping backwards. When he landed, however, he quickly discovered that Naruto had completely vanished, as if he had never been standing there in the first place.

The blond reappeared out of nowhere, stabbing forward from behind the gray-haired ninja and skewering Kabuto through his chest and out the other side. Ice leapt from the point of contact, consuming the body of the silver-haired teen. In under a second, Kabuto was standing upright inside a frozen coffin, undoubtedly dead on his feet.

Naruto scowled as the boy inside the ice transformed into a wooden log, turning around to face the real Kabuto as he slowly rose from the ground next to Orochimaru. There was a smirk on the teen's lips, his dark eyes gleaming as he slowly adjusted his glasses with a single finger. Sunlight reflected off of his Sound Village hitai-ate.

Naruto expression suddenly turned dark and angry, "Orochimaru. For what you've done…I'll kill you."

In a blur of Shunpô, Naruto was instantly high in the air, swinging his sword down, "Hyôrinmaru!"

A winding blue water dragon with glowing red eyes wound its way around Naruto, then roared as it rushed towards its targets.

"Without the command phrase?" Kabuto asked incredulously, eyes wide. "But he's supposed to need the command phrase to activate that power!"

Kabuto and Orochimaru leapt back away as the dragon collided with the ground, dispersing but leaving behind a large spike of ice. Kabuto gathered some of his blood on his finger as the bandages on Orochimaru's left arm unraveled themselves. Simultaneously, Naruto landed and both he and Jiraiya bit their thumbs before making their own seals, even as the icy appendages on Naruto's back and arms and legs dissipated into nothingness.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" four voices cried out simultaneously.

In a humongous plume of smoke, four tall entities appeared on the field. Manda, the purple boss of the Snake summoning style; Katsuya, the pale boss for the Slug summoning style; Gamabunta, the orange boss of the Toads and their summoning style; and Hyôrinmaru, the giant blue dragon of the sword in Naruto's hands.

"Katsuya and Tsunade, and Orochimaru and Manda, it's been a while," Gamabunta said calmly, puffing on his pipe. "But I don't recognize that strange-looking upstart Naruto-kun is standing on. Looks like a dragon."

Hyôrinmaru looked up at Naruto, "When you wrote that contract for me, I didn't actually expect you to use it."

"Neither did I," Naruto admitted, gaze locked onto Orochimaru. "I didn't think I'd ever face another person capable of Summoning, let alone someone who could call on a Boss."

The dragon's claws dug into the dirt, carving deep gouges into the earth, "Somehow, this just became an entirely different battle."

"You!" Manda just seemed to notice Gamabunta. "Maybe I should turn you into toad jerky!"

"Heh!" Gamabunta reached for his sword. "I've always wanted a snake-skin wallet!"

"This is quite the reunion," Katsuya mumbled.

Manda didn't respond, instead looking up at the man standing on his head, "You owe me a hundred sacrifices for this, Orochimaru!"

"You'll get your sacrifices," Orochimaru hissed back, "just as soon as you — !"

"Now!" Naruto called.

Hyôrinmaru dove forward, clamping its jaws onto Manda's neck as Naruto disappeared in a blur. Manda turned its head angrily, hissing as he glared at the dragon whose teeth were trying rip out his throat, "You insolent whelp! Let go of me!"

Naruto reappeared atop Manda's head, the beast's eyes moving to stare at him, "What?"

"Now," Naruto reared his hand back, an orb of glowing chakra spinning above it. He shoved it into Kabuto's stomach, delighting in the look on the traitor's face, "Rasengan!"

Kabuto pitched backward, falling off of Manda and to the unforgiving earth below. His fate was sealed. Should he collide with the ground falling at terminal velocity and without any form of cushion to lessen his descent, he would die. And the only one even slightly willing to save him…was Orochimaru.

"Damn you, you brat!" the Snake Sennin cried angrily, leaping off of the boss summon.

"Hyôrinmaru!" Naruto called over his shoulder, his gaze flickering to the massive blue dragon still biting Manda.

"Right," Hyôrinmaru answered, clenching his powerful jaws as hard as he could and digging his claws into the ground for leverage. With an audible snap, Manda's spine broke and the summon boss disappeared in a plume of smoke, hissing curses at the dragon that had done him in.

Orochimaru wrapped his long tongue around Kabuto's body, channeling chakra to his legs as he held his faithful servant aloft. He hit the ground with a loud thud, a sharp tingling pain shooting up his legs, despite the chakra cushion he had used to guard against such a thing. He glared up at the blonde, who was once more standing atop his blue-dragon summon.

Growling angrily at his humiliating defeat, at the hands of a Genin, no less, he and Kabuto sank into the ground. He would have his revenge, someday.

He swore on it.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Damn that brat," Kisame growled angrily, making an aggressive poke at the fire before him with a long stick. The coals churned at his ministrations, spewing sparks and flames as the blaze rose several feet, then dropped back down to its previous level.

"Ug!" Kisame stabbed the fire a second time, watching the flames rise up as if in anger, then fall back down as if they had been doused. It wouldn't bring his sword back, but it sure as hell made him feel a bit better about losing it. "I'm gonna kill that brat!"

Itachi ignored him, his Sharingan eyes pouring over the text held in his hands. To any outward observer, he was casually reading the scroll that he was holding, taking in its information without really absorbing it. Anyone who knew him well enough, however, would notice that he was biting his bottom lip, lost in thought.

_Something disturbing is on the horizon, Naruto-kun, and we need Itachi-kun in Konoha more than anything. Do what you can to ensure that he is brought back home._

Itachi reread the scroll, his eyes burning the words into memory like a cattle brand. He glanced over at his partner, Hoshigaki Kisame, the largest obstacle he would face in his return. If he wished to do as the Sandaime desired, then he would have to abandon his post as spy and make contact with Naruto again.

"Hey, Itachi!" Itachi looked over at the shark-man, who was chewing on some fish he had managed to catch earlier. Kisame held up another fish, offering it to him. "Want some?"

Itachi turned his head away and Kisame took that as a no, shoveling the fish down like a starving man. In under ten seconds, the entire thing was picked clean to the bone and the blue-skinned swordsman was smacking his lips with satisfaction. It disgusted him.

Itachi turned again, looking at his partner with an unreadable expression on his face, "Kisame…"

Kisame looked up at him, then froze, too shocked to do anything but watch as the cold steel of Itachi's kunai dove for his head, aimed for right between his eyes. There was a stabbing feeling, the feeling of the metal piercing his flesh, and then all went black.

Itachi stood straight, wiping his kunai clean of blood and placing it back in its holster. He turned back to the fire and stretched his senses out, but couldn't find any trace of the mysterious Zetsu. That meant that he had several days, or even longer, before the Akatsuki became aware of his betrayal. As he glanced back at the blue-skinned man, Itachi couldn't help but feel a slight bit of satisfaction.

Hoshigaki Kisame…was dead.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Weren't expecting **_**that**_** ending, were you?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach**

**The fight between Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma and Kisame, Itachi was taken almost directly from canon. It might seem pointless to do something like that, but there was something I needed to do. I needed to go a bit farther into Itachi and his personality as well as his motivation.**

**No, Naruto isn't super-powered. If you paid attention, you would notice that the only reason he fought so well against Itachi and Kisame was because he had the element of surprise.**

_**Saevam iram, iram et dolorem… (Raging anger, anger and misery)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	5. The Promised Land

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Five: The Promised Land  
— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

Jiraiya frowned, looking over the face of the boy in front of him as if expecting him to suddenly grin and shout, "Got you!" in a loud voice. But Naruto's face remained serious, almost too serious for the cheerful blonde he had met during the Chûnin Exams, in fact. It was almost like looking at Minato again.

Jiraiya's frown deepened as he slowly absorbed the information he had been presented with, chewing on his tongue as he tried to make sense of it. Little by little, he reviewed what he had been told and tried to imagine it was reality, loosing quite a bit of respect for his old sensei in the process.

And yet, he understood the reason and purpose behind it as well. Surely, the massacre of an entire clan by a single man was indeed a tragedy, but to prevent a civil war that would destroy Fire Country and leave it open to its enemies, Jiraiya could understand. Still, he couldn't help but feel there had to have been another way.

Then, he berated himself for thinking Sarutobi hadn't _tried_ to take the peaceful way of things. Sarutobi was a man of honor, a man to be respected, but above all, he was a peaceful man. He did not engage in combat unless there was no other alternative. More often than not, there was a distinct lack of alternative.

The whole thing still left an ugly and repulsive taste in his mouth, however, and he doubted he could ever accept that there was no other alternative than to wipe out the Uchiha clan. Much like his sensei, Jiraiya was a man who tried to solve things peacefully when he could. He had seen two Great Ninja Wars. Going through that, you either came out a peace-lover or a violent maniac.

Jiraiya sighed; his new apprentice was waiting for his answer. He didn't know what kind of answer he could give, as he still had his doubts about the whole ordeal, but he doubted he would come across anymore useful information, "Alright, kid, I'll see what I can do."

Naruto nodded respectfully, "Thank you, sensei."

Jiraiya shrugged; it was the least he could do for the blonde. After being absent from his godson's life for so long, leaving him to fend for himself against the hateful villagers, helping Naruto achieve his dreams and ambitions was the least he could do. So long as he managed to keep the boy from going dark, nothing else mattered quite so much.

"Ero-sennin?" Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched at the nickname, but he responded to it anyway and waited for whatever question was going to be asked.

Naruto frowned, as though he was having trouble wording his query, "What did the old man mean by 'the second advent of Uchiha Madara'?"

Jiraiya scratched his chin, digging into his memories to find the answer, "To understand what he meant, you'll have to know the story of Konoha's beginning; the story of how the village was built and how the two greatest clans in history came to live in one place."

"Konoha's beginnings?" Naruto looked him up and down. "You're not _that_ old, are you?"

Jiraiya bopped him on the head, but started his story anyway, "More than eighty years ago, the entire world was engulfed in a never-ending state of war. Countries fought to gain power and territory, and ninja were nothing but individual clans hired by those countries."

Jiraiya exhaled, closing his eyes as he continued, "Among those clans were two feared by all as the strongest: the Senju clan and the Uchiha clan. The Uchiha had the Sharingan and an extraordinary amount of chakra. Even among the Uchiha, however, Uchiha Madara was an exceptional individual.

"Back then," Jiraiya frowned, "life was nothing but one continuous battle. He went so far as to kill his best friend and his own brother just to gain power. As leader of the Uchiha clan and its most powerful member, he used that power to fight the Senju clan time and again. Inevitably, he eventually fought the leader of the Senju clan, Senju Hashirama, the man we now know as the First Hokage."

Naruto's eyes widened as Jiraiya paused for dramatic effect, "Eventually, as Madara and Hashirama fought time after time, the Uchiha and the Senju became rivals. If one country hired the Senju, their enemies would hire the Uchiha. But then, something unexpected happened…the Senju clan asked the Uchiha clan for a truce…and the Uchiha clan agreed."

Jiraiya looked down, "According to the Uchiha clan's records, Madara was the only one to voice dissent. It was inevitable, though, that, without support, the only thing he could do was agree. Shortly thereafter, the alliance between the Senju and the Uchiha made a pact with the Fire Country Daimyo, and the first ninja village was formed."

"Wow," Naruto breathed, "but I still don't get what this has to do with the second advent thing."

"I'm not done yet," Jiraiya glared, then took a deep breath. "Things would have been peaceful, but there was a dispute over who would be Hokage. Once Hashirama gained it, though, it soon became clear that the Uchiha were losing their supremacy. Madara was the only one amongst his clan, though, that decided to oppose Hashirama. He left the village."

The Toad Sennin's eyes hardened, "Bent on revenge, Madara came back and challenged the village, the Nine-tails at his beck and call. Despite the beast's power, Madara was still defeated and, everyone assumed, dead. To ensure that another Madara never came to be, the Nidaime gave the Uchiha the position of Military Police, supposedly as a sign of trust. It was really just to distance them from the governing of the village.

"Then the Nine-tails attacked thirteen years ago, and the council immediately suspected the Uchiha, thinking a rebellion might be on its way. So, according to the information you've given me, it's safe to assume that the council planted an ANBU spy amongst the Uchiha: Itachi. Inevitably, as a result of the council's distrust, the Uchiha must have started planning something, not knowing that Itachi would report it all to the Sandaime."

"Then," Naruto started, eyes wide, "the reason Itachi killed his clan…"

"Was probably to prevent that plan from occurring," Jiraiya finished for him. "Given the 'second advent' thing, I'd have to assume that the thing the Uchiha clan was planning was nothing short of a coup d'etat."

Nodding, Naruto stood up, flashing the elder man a smile as he turned to leave, "Thanks, Ero-sennin."

Jiraiya bit his lip as the blonde left. The smile had been so fake, he had no doubt that, if he touched it, it would shatter. The boy had something to think about and decisions to make. He couldn't interfere with that. It was up to Naruto to make his own decisions, especially now that he was going to be promoted to Chûnin. One more successful high-rank mission and he was in.

With a sigh and a heavy heart, Jiraiya disappeared in a poof of smoke.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Tenten hummed happily as she barely restrained herself from skipping down the bustling street. The sun was shining brightly from a clear blue sky, birds chirping their greetings to the world and singing a song to the heavens. It was the perfect day for Tenten and it was about to get even better.

She giggled, slightly surprised she was capable of something so girly, as thoughts of a blonde haired boy came to the forefront of her mind. At first, the only attraction she had had for him was the fact that someone else besides herself had decided to take up a weapon and master it.

Swordsmen and weapons masters were in short supply in the ninja world, mostly due to the overabundance of powerful Jutsu. In fact, the only other weapon user in Konoha that she could name was Gekkô Hayate, and he had disappeared after the preliminaries. The only well-known weapon users in the Ninja world were the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

But Uzumaki Naruto used a Katana with skill and finesse that she didn't think a Genin could possess and he made it look easy, too. He treated his weapon reverently, no doubt cleaning the blade whenever he had free time. It was like an extension of himself, of his soul, the way a true swordsman would feel. After all, it was said that a swordsman's soul was in his blade.

That had been her initial attraction to him. She felt a sort of kinship with the blonde boy because of his love for his sword and his dedication to perfecting his kenjutsu (yes, she had spied on one of his training sessions. Just one!). To find someone who shared her love for the beautiful steel of a well-polished blade was something she had never even dreamed of.

That was just her initial attraction to him, of course. That had provided the spark that would ignite the fire, but several other things had fed the flame since her first meeting with him in the Forest of Death. After all, she wouldn't date just any swordsman or weapons master, she would be incredibly shallow to do so.

Another thing that had drawn her to him was his loyalty to his friends and comrades. He was _so_ loyal, in fact, that he had been willing to kill one of his own comrades when it seemed that comrade had used excessive force against one of his own. Gai-sensei had been really disappointed in Neji for involving his feelings in that battle, too.

With loyalty like that, she knew, he wouldn't even _think_ of finding another woman once he started dating a girl. That meant that, if she started to date him, she wouldn't have to worry that some other harpy would dig her claws into the blonde. That was one of every girl's fears, that her boyfriend was being disloyal.

His selflessness also drew her to him, as selflessness was something rare to see in ninja. He had been tired, no doubt, from his match against Kiba during the preliminaries, and yet, he had used his remaining energy to heal a girl that was, in every sense of the word, a stranger. Such kindness was a big plus in her book.

He was strong too, of that there was no doubt. At first, she hadn't thought he could defeat Neji, since there was such a huge gap in their training. Neji had, after all, been training since he could walk. But he had pulled an almost easy victory in the finals. Even a Genin fresh from the Academy could have seen that the battle was under Naruto's control the entire time.

The next thing was his skills. For a Genin only months out of the Academy, he had unprecedented skill with a sword. He had to, in order to reverse his grip and such to gain an upper hand against his opponent. She knew from experience that he would have very skilled fingers, much as she did. She flushed bright red and started to breath heavily every time she imagined what those fingers could do dancing all over her bare skin.

She blushed as her thoughts started to travel into dangerous territory and her clothes suddenly felt too warm for such a hot day. She took a deep breath and imagined Gai in a speedo to calm herself down. A wave of disgust emptied into her stomach at the mental image.

She turned the corner and looked towards the ramen shop that Iruka had told her Naruto frequented, only for a block of ice to drop into her belly and her day to start clouding. Tears welled up in her eyes and, with a strangled cry that barely reached a whisper, she turned around and fled as far away as she could.

Pinned up against the wall at Ichiraku's was Uzumaki Naruto, and pinning him to the wall, with her lips pressed tightly against his, was Hyuga Hinata, the only girl that Tenten knew would be a rival for Naruto's affection. Ichiraku Teuchi was smiling. Hyuga Hinata, the shyest girl in history, was kissing Naruto.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

A kunai lay embedded in the branch of a dead tree, its loosened wrappings fluttering in the unforgiving wind. The ground was a barren wasteland, weapons strewn about the bare earth like leaves during autumn. No life could be found, no growth could be glimpsed. Only the dead could be seen, suits of armor made into caskets for the fallen. Corpses littered the ground. This was a battlefield, one that was either freshly made, or centuries old.

A small group of survivors stood against the harsh winds, a man amongst them whispering over the howling wind, "It's over…we have nowhere left to go."

He kneeled against the earth, clutching to his sword for support. Tears and rain fell down his face, "This is it…our road ends here."

A larger, heavier set man lay on the ground, heavy beads roped around his neck, "It was a fool's decision…doomed from the start…"

A third man, this one sporting a tall hat and leaning against a tree, whispered, "This is the end…we…must turn back…"

A woman stood, the only female of their group, "There is a way. Have faith. I _know_ that we will find it…"

"But…Princess," one of her companions spoke up.

"You mustn't give up!" She said firmly.

"Ah ha ha ha!" a man dressed in feudal samurai clothes stood atop a ruined building, sneering down at them mockingly. "Princess Gale! This is as far as you go!"

"Mao!" One of the men exclaimed, surprised.

Another stood up, shouting angrily, "Don't tell us this storm is _your_ doing!"

An empty suit of armor stood, swinging a sword at the woman. She blasted it apart with a single strike.

"You know," Naruto said to his two teammates, "for such a cliché plot, this is actually a pretty good movie."

"Hn," Sasuke said softly, "why are we watching this again?"

"Kakashi-sensei said it had something to do with our next mission," Naruto responded, pumping his fist energetically in mimicry of the movie. On screen, another suit of armor fell to pieces.

"Ahh," Sakura sighed, "she's so _heroic_."

"We will go…to the rainbow," the Princess said, then the screen faded into black.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto sighed, scratching his head of spiky blond hair, the metal of his hitai-ate pressing lightly against his right biceps, "Kakashi-sensei is late again."

"So, what else is new?" Sasuke asked in his normal, bored tone.

Sakura stared up at the sign for the movie they'd just seen, "I wonder why Kakashi-sensei said we'd have to see the movie before our next mission. I mean, that sounds kind of strange, doesn't it?"

Naruto shared a glance with Sasuke, "You don't think…?"

Sasuke shook his head with a frown on his face, for once showing some emotion, "Nah. It couldn't be."

The sound of hooves interrupted all conversation as a horse, with Princess Gale riding it, jumped over the wooden fence they'd been waiting for Kakashi at. Landing on the dirt road, it galloped away down the street, its rider seemingly oblivious to the people she'd just surprised. Sasuke was actually looking surprised.

"No way!" Sakura whispered in awe. "Was that the Princess?"

The sound of more neighing reached their ears as the wooden gate burst open, several more horsemen flying out of it and after the princess. Startled, Sakura fell back on her rear as the horses nearly trampled her on their way following the woman. She was pulled from their path by Sasuke, who blushed, then let go of her as if he had been burned.

"After her!" one of the horsemen cried.

"Don't let her escape!" another shouted.

The words seemed to break whatever tension had silenced Sasuke and Sakura, as they nodded to one another and took off. Naruto took off after them, using Shunpô to fly past his two teammates. They had agreed that, in chase situations such as this, Naruto would rescue and guard the one being chased while Sasuke and Sakura took care of the pursuers.

Making a shadow clone, Naruto set it to following his team and the horsemen stealthily. It would inform him of any unusual developments should they occur and it carried with it a 'homing tag', something that Jiraiya had taught him to use. Just like it sounded, it resonated with a signal to let him know where it was.

Kakashi landed on the opened fence, looking around the blank lot in confusion. He blinked, "Oro?"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasuke dusted his hands off, looking at his handiwork. All of the men that had been chasing the princess were now tied up securely with no immediate hope of escape. He smirked. Chasing them down and cornering them had been almost too easy. He wished they had been a bit more challenging, so that he might have had some fun with it.

Sakura yanked harder on the rope she was using to tie one of the samurai up, tightening the knot that tied his hands behind his back. She smirked, dusting her own hands off in confident satisfaction. That had been rather easy.

All it had taken was a transformation and a little deception, along with some welcome help from Sasuke, and they had captured all of the men chasing after the princess. The princess herself was probably far away by now, safe and sound from these villainous fiends trying to subdue her.

The real Naruto had probably taken the princess to some safe-house, or somewhere else equally as secure, meaning that a clone was watching her and Sasuke from some hidden place. No doubt, it was waiting to see how things progressed just in case the situation took a wrong turn for the worst.

"Oh dear," Sasuke and Sakura looked up as the voice drifted down. Kakashi stood atop the small shrine in front of them, perched on the support pole like a giant bat.

"Oh," Sakura said in recognition, "Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi sighed, hiding his face behind his right hand in embarrassment, "What are you guys doing?"

Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly, "Killing time."

Kakashi vanished for a second, reappearing in front of his two students. All of the ropes that had tied the men up instantly fell to the ground, sliced cleanly off their bodies. Sasuke's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, "What are you doing?"

Kakashi ignored him and helped the man with glasses up, the only man who hadn't been wearing a helmet when Sasuke and Sakura had caught him. Kakashi scratched the back of his head nervously, chuckling, "Gee. I'm _really_ sorry about this."

Sasuke and Sakura stared at Kakashi, bewildered by his actions as the man dusted his clothes off. Sakura looked as if she wanted to ask a question, but her mouth couldn't seem to form the words. Kakashi looked once at their confused faces, then explained, "_This_ is the gentleman who hired us for our mission today."

Sakura just stared at him and Sasuke's eyes narrowed, so he elaborated, "Our mission is to guard Fujikaze Yukie, the actress best known for her role as Princess Gale…Well, maybe not guard so much as…escort."

There was a soft pop and Sasuke looked over towards the nearest building, where a small cloud of smoke was dispersing. A soft gust later, any evidence of the smoke was gone and the one who made it had vanished into thin air. A kunai with a seal wrapped around its hilt sat stuck into the wall and Sasuke suddenly wondered how he was going to retrieve it without anyone noticing.

He sighed. Sometimes, his blonde teammate was so…troublesome.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"We're shooting the next Princess Gale movie abroad," the assistant director, a young man by the name of Shinji, explained to the two Genin and the Jounin of Team Seven, all of whom now stood within the studio of the production. "It's the first one that we'll be shooting overseas, and I don't think I need to explain to you that our leading lady is a bit of a diva."

"Even so, that's to be expected of Leaf Ninja. You guys sure are something," the director said, taking a puff on his long pipe. "Those men were specifically hired as stunt men and bodyguards, yet you guys took them out so easily. Who would've thought? Those were some big fellows, too."

The director took another pull on his pipe, blowing out a cloud of smoke, "Where's your last member, though? I thought there was one more."

"He's with Yukie-san," Sasuke spoke quietly, arms folded across his chest.

Sakura wasn't paying attention to the talk, she was looking at the photos pinned up on the wall next to her. They were mostly pictures of Yukie, ones of her with other people, ones of her with her co-stars, and some of her getting her make up put on in preparation for her movie role. The one that caught Sakura's eyes, though, was a picture of sheer cliffs, their white walls glistening brightly.

"Oh, wow," she whispered, awed. "Those cliffs are beautiful!"

"That's the Rainbow Glacier, in the Land of Snow," Sakura spun around at the voice, looking up to see two men, one bald, and one bearded. The bald one was the one that spoke, and she recognized him easily.

"You played the role of Burikinto!" she exclaimed.

"That's where we're going to shoot the movie's climactic ending," the other man said, smiling at her.

"You're Hidero!" Sakura said excitedly. "You played Shishimaru!"

"The Land of Snow?" Sasuke interrupted. "That's a long way to go just to shoot some scene for a movie. Is there a particular reason _why_ you're going to shoot the movie there?"

"Yukie's manager, Sandayuu, recommended it," the assistant director said, gesturing to the man wearing glasses that the two Genin had tied up. The man bowed to them at the mention of his name. "According to him, this Rainbow Glacier turns seven different colors during the Spring time. It's supposed to be amazing."

"No," Kakashi said, voice soft and glum, "that's just an old legend. The truth is, there isn't a Spring time in Yuki no Kuni."

"What?" Sasuke asked skeptically. "Not ever? It's winter _all year long_?"

Kakashi nodded, "Yeah, something like that."

"Kakashi-san was it?" the director asked, turning his shaded eyes on the Jounin. Light reflected off his sunglasses. "From what I have heard about you, this won't be your first time in the Land of Snow."

"That was a long time ago," Kakashi said sadly.

"They say it's a very poor nation," Sakura jumped up in her chair as another voice joined the conversation, turning around to see a rather handsome man standing behind her, his long hair framing his face. Sasuke's eye twitched. Did this guy's teeth just _ping_, like Lee's and Gai's?

"Y-you played Sukeakuro!" Sakura squealed with a stutter. Sasuke's lip curled as she looked at the man with adoration. "Mitchy-sama, you're so great!"

"I heard that they suffered an economic collapse because their feudal lord overindulged in Karakuri puppets," Hidero said, sharing what he knew about the story.

"Actually, the story is, their former lord had a thing for gadgets," Mitch continued. "They say he squandered all of the clan's gold on mountains of useless doodads and gizmos and stuff like that."

"Really? Well, I just hope they have central heating," Hidero said, a cup of coffee in his hand. He pretended to shiver, "I'm not all that cut out for the cold."

"Maybe you should run for the hills, too, just like Yukie," the bald man said, prodding his coworker teasingly.

"Aw, hey, come on, you guys! That's not even funny!" Shinji whined. All three actors just chuckled at his distress.

"So…does that mean…Yukie-san…I mean, she's not always like this, is she?" Sakura asked. The three men fell silent, sharing a look with one another, a frown on each of their faces.

"Kind of. Yeah," Mitchy said sadly. "Poor Yukie. She's not the kind of person to understand such things like 'dreams' or 'aspirations'."

"But she's never neglected her work," the director insisted firmly. "When the camera's rolling, she plays her part magnificently, never missing a line. She's the best actress I've ever met, and I don't mind telling you that I've met quite a few."

"Yeah," Sasuke interrupted, "but where is she now? What good does all that do when she's not here at this moment, or when you don't even know where she is? Naruto had to go find her for you."

"It's true," Shinji admitted, his tone downtrodden, like a kicked puppy, "we don't really know where she is right now. It's just that…ever since she found out we're going to the Land of Snow, she's been trying her hardest to get away from us. It's like she doesn't _want_ to go to there."

"I can understand why she doesn't want to go," Kakashi said, hands tucked into his pockets. "It's not my place to tell you why, but Yukie has some very bad memories of the Land of Snow. If I were her, I probably wouldn't want to go either."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Yukie looked at her reflection in the clear glass of her cup, then downed its contents in one gulp. She looked in it again, and a happy, smiling little girl looked back at her with wide, gleeful eyes and a bright smile. Herself, years ago, when the world had only been as big as the castle she lived in. The light above her head flickered and the image was replaced by her reflection once again, her eyes dull and her expression somber.

"Bartender!" she called, a slight slur to her words. "Another of the same!"

She stared once more into the shot glass, watching as her sullen appearance disappeared into an ocean of amber as the bartender poured more of her precious saké into the tiny cup. He moved away, probably to tend to another customer, and she took a small sip. This time, when she set the cup down, its contents sloshing slightly, the courageous Princess Gale stared back at her with determination in her gaze.

Gulping the rest of the cup's contents, she jerked her hand to the side, sending the cup into the wall halfway across the bar. It shattered upon contact, each of its tiny glass pieces mocking her with a determined stare or a happy smile. She held her head in her arms, trying to erase the two images from her mind, even though they seemed burned forever onto her retinas.

Vaguely, as if it were on the very edge of her senses, like a ghost, she heard someone sit down next to her. She didn't even bother to lift her head from her arms, because she didn't really care who was sitting there anyway. They would leave, eventually, just like everyone else.

"You know, Yukie-san," the person said, his voice awfully young. Yukie didn't budge even a centimeter, "you really should be getting back by now. I'm sure your friends are worried about where you are right now."

Yukie glanced at him, then turned back around, mumbling, "I'm not going to Snow Country."

"Ah," she could somehow tell that he was nodding in understanding, "problems with the past. And you don't want to face them. But, if you don't face them, then you can never truly move on, which is why you're sitting here diving into a bottle of alcohol."

She glanced at him again as she heard the quiet jingle of jewelry, slightly surprised to see the Shodai Hokage's necklace hanging in front of his collarbone, "Do you know how I got this?"

She shook her head, something she immediately wished she hadn't done, and he continued, "I won this in a bet with Tsunade-hime of the Sannin. The thing is, if I hadn't helped her face her past, she wouldn't be Hokage right now. So now I'm going to do the same for you, whether you like it or not."

Yukie laughed mirthlessly, her voice hollow, "What would _you_ know about hardship? I bet the worst thing that has ever happened to you was a stubbed toe!"

She gasped as haunted blue eyes rose to meet hers, "I've been alone all my life, wondering if my parents abandoned me or if they were just dead. I spent twelve years wondering and six years living on my own with no one else to rely on. Every time I go shopping for food, I get nothing but cold glares as I walk down the street. I had to watch a very good friend die and bear witness to the murder of the man I called grandfather."

Those blue eye sharpened, "I think I know a thing or two about hardship."

"Yukie-sama!" a voice cried. Sandayuu rushed up to her stool, standing next to her anxiously. "Yukie-sama, the boat to Yuki no Kuni is departing soon! We must hurry!"

"No," Yukie said firmly. "I'm not going. The Sky Princess is stepping down."

"Don't say that!" Sandayuu insisted.

"It's fine," Yukie said lazily. "Between sequels, the star is often switched, just like the director, the cameraman, the—"

"Only you can play the Sky Princess, Yukie-sama!" Sandayuu said seriously.

Yukie snorted, taking another sip of her saké, "Don't be ridiculous."

A voice sighed, "It can't be helped."

"Huh?" Yukie turned around, only to catch sight of a vibrant red eye with three black tomoe swirling inside its depths. Instantly, the world around Yukie started to spin in circles around and around. Then, with drooping eyes, she fell from her chair, unconscious.

Kakashi caught her effortlessly, picking her up bridal style. Sandayuu sighed in relief. They had found her, at least. It was a start.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Was the hexagon crystal in her possession?" a commanding voice asked, the owner's finger drumming impatiently on his throne of a chair.

"I knew it," the light haired ninja kneeling before the man said, "I knew that the actress called Fujikaze Yukie was actually Kazahana Koyuki."

"Those ten years of vigorous searching are finally paying off," a pink haired kunoichi said.

"Heh!" a large, heavyset shinobi chuckled. "This is all too easy! It'll be even easier if she's alone defenseless!"

"However," the first, light-haired ninja said, "I believe that she is under the protection of not one, but two A-rank ninja: Copy-nin Hatake Kakashi and Ryûjin Namikaze Naruto."

"_The_ Hatake Kakashi?" the heavyset one asked. He chuckled, turning to his light haired comrade. "Sounds like this confrontation was decided by fate!"

"The runt is the one that concerns me, not the Copy ninja," the man in charge said. "As young as he is, he was given the name Konoha no Ryûjin. And by one of the Legendary Sannin, no less. He must be very powerful. How much was the bounty on him, again?"

"I believe it was a mere five thousand ryou less than Kakashi's," the light-haired ninja commented. "It certainly sounds like Orochimaru wants this kid dead."

"Indeed," the Boss drawled. "Do you believe the rumors are true? That he can summon a dragon as tall as the sky? Or that one swing of his sword can fell a hundred foes?"

"Though they are based on facts, those rumors are probably greatly exaggerated," the pink-haired Kunoichi said. She smirked, "I've heard that he's as fast as the Yellow Flash. Like father, like son, eh?"

The heavy one chuckled, "This certainly sounds like fun. Let's collect on this punk's bounty before any of those Iwa bastards get the chance."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Nnng…" Yukie covered her eyes with her forearm, trying to block out the sun streaming in the window to her left.

"Are you awake, Yukie-sama?" a familiar voice asked from her side.

"Sandayuu…get me some water. I feel dizzy," she said, rubbing her eyes. "I feel like I'm swaying…am I imagining it?"

"No," was the slightly hesitant reply from Sandayuu. "It's not your imagination."

Yukie jumped from her bed in shock and flew to the first door she could find, flinging it wide open. A wooden deck, sails, and the open sea greeted her eyes. They were on a boat, presumably the very boat Yukie hadn't wanted to travel on. As the shock slowly settled down, morphing into anger, her eyes narrowed furiously, "What the hell is this?"

Two hours later found Yukie dressed and sitting down in front of her make up specialists as they set up her eyeliner and lipstick. Nearby, the stage crew was setting up for the film, using fake pieces of lumber to give the impression of a battle on the boat.

"I don't like her," Naruto commented out of the blue. "She broods too much."

"Don't say that, Naruto-kun," Kakashi told him. "She's the subject of our mission, after all. And it _is_ an A-rank mission."

Naruto sighed, "I know."

"This mission shouldn't be too difficult," Sasuke said, looking out at the ocean. "We are, after all, only escorting an actress."

"Don't be too sure," Kakashi warned. "There are plenty of famous people who are always being targeted by someone or other. Assume there will be enemies and don't get caught off guard."

A big light lit up, focused on the makeshift stage aboard the boat.

"Lights okay!"

"Microphone okay!"

"Camera okay!"

"Start from the test!" the director shouted into his megaphone. "Get in the act!"

"Scene twenty-three Cut six, Take one!" the assistant director said. "Action!"

Team Seven watched, mostly in amazement, as Yukie became a whole different person in front of the camera. She grasped onto the injured-looking Hidero, distress in her tone, "Hold on, Shishimaru!"

"It's useless, Princess," Hidero gasped out, his voice weak.

"What are you saying?" she asked back. "We found our courage because of you!"

"Princess," he said weakly, gasping for air, "I…wanted to see…the other side of the…rainbow with you…"

With a soft thud, his head hit the wooden floor and he stopped moving, seemingly dead.

"Shishimaru!" Yukie called out. There was a pause, then Yukie exhaled impatiently. She waved her hand, "Hang on!"

Several cries of disappointment met her words.

"Sandayuu!" Yukie ignored their anger, waving her manager over. "I need more tears."

Amidst indignant protests, Sandayuu walked over and pulled out a bottle, squeezing a few droplets of its contents into Yukie's eyes.

"Okay!" Yukie shouted as Sandayuu moved away. "Let's do it again! Quickly!"

"Scene twenty-three, Cut six—two! Action!"

"Shishimaru!"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Director!" Shinji pointed something out to the director. "Serious problem!"

A large iceberg floated stoically in the ocean in front of the ship Team Seven, Yukie, and her entourage were on. Despite its motionless form, it seemed to be mocking them, telling them that all their hard work was for nothing.

"This happened in the morning," Shinji explained. "As you can see, the route is covered. What should we do?"

The director had an epiphany, his eyes widening slightly, "Come here!"

"The movie is ruined," Shinji sulked, discouraged.

"You idiot!" the director shouted at him, whacking him over the head with his bullhorn. "Look! This is the perfect location! If you don't film here, where are you going to film?"

Shinji was confused to say the least, "Huh?"

"The movie gods got angry," the director offered for an explanation. Everyone looked at him like he was crazy. Turning, he addressed the group, "Get ready for some climbing!"

An hour later, the entire crew had unloaded the necessary materials and was standing on the giant block of ice and snow. Yukie sat in front of a portable stove with Team Seven, warming herself in front of it as she yawned.

"We're going to Honbani! Stunt B1!"

"Scene thirty-six, Cut twenty-two! Action!"

"A ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You came here by mistake, Sky Princess!" the old man playing Mao cackled from his hill, waving his staff about madly.

"Stay back, Princess!" Sukeakuro stepped forward, grasping the hilt of his sword. "I'll fight him!"

Mao seemed smug, "Brats or not, you're no match for me!"

He pulled his hand back, as if to launch some attack, when an explosion from the cliff behind him nearly knocked him off his feet. No longer acting, the old man turned to where it had occurred, staring at it in alarm, "What was that?"

Before anyone knew what was happening, Kakashi stood in front of Yukie, which confused the actors quite a bit.

"Hey!" Sukeakuro shouted indignantly. "What do you think you're doing!"

"Kakashi," Yukie murmured, "what—?

Kakashi paid their queries no notice, "Everyone, get back!"

As the smoke cleared, a man could be seen standing there, his ears obscured by some sort of hat. He wore a smirk and a white bodysuit, a disk glowing lightly from his shoulder, "Welcome to the Land of Snow."

Kakashi's eye widened, "You are—!"

"I welcome you, Koyuki," a pink-haired kunoichi said, standing on an outcropping. "Did you bring the Hexagon Crystal?"

Alarmed, Kakashi looked back at Yukie, "Koyuki?"

"Heh, ha, ha!" a third, much larger shinobi appeared. "As expected of the great Hatake Kakashi! We meet again!"

Kakashi nearly growled.

"Sakura-san, Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun!" the three Genin snapped to attention at being addressed. "You guys guard Yukie! Everyone! Return to the ship!"

"Fubuki, Mizore," the light-haired ninja addressed his comrades, "let's get Princess Yukie."

In a flash, Fubuki and Mizore had left their perches while Kakashi raced towards the last of the three snow ninja. He leapt up the side of the cliff, jumping from one foothold to the next until he stood in front of the apparent leader of the three Snow ninja. He glared at his opponent, a grudge if he'd ever had one.

"It's been a long time, Kakashi," the light-haired shinobi stated nonchalantly. "This time, you won't escape from me."

"Rouda Narare," was all Kakashi said, his visible eye narrowed.

In an instant, they dashed towards each other, Kakashi blocking Rouda's knife-hand chop with his left arm. Leaning backwards, he dodged out of the way of a kick that would have sent him flying. Pushing away from one another, they landed on separate outcroppings, then catapulted off of the ground and at each other again.

They clashed a second time, pushing against one another before landing on separate sides of the narrow canyon. To the cast and crew still loading up onto the ship, it looked like a scene right out of some movie or other.

Naruto set his sights on the heavyset man, who suddenly pulled a snowboard out of nowhere and used it to move down the icy slope faster. Sasuke threw one of his Windmill Shuriken, watching in shock as it shattered on Mizore's body armor. "What?"

"Hyôton: Tsubame Fubuki!"

Sasuke leapt to the side of the rain of frozen sparrows, flashing through hand seals as he turned to the pink-haired Fubuki. He stopped on tiger, taking in a deep breath, "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

A great ball of fire raced forth, melting the remaining ice birds. Planting his feet firmly, Sasuke heard Sakura yell out for everyone to return to the ship. He scowled, preparing for one of the most difficult battles of his life.

"Hyôton," Fubuki kneeled, pressing her fingers to the iceberg, "Hyôroro no Jutsu!"

Sasuke jumped back as pillars of frozen mass rose up and towards him, going through more hand seals. He took a deep breath, blowing out another fireball. Fubuki smirked as a column of ice rose up, turning to steam as the fire collided with it.

Mizore jumped off of his snowboard, leaping towards Naruto with his ironclad fist pulled back for a punch. Channeling Chakra to his arm, Naruto reached up and grabbed the fist effortlessly, balling his other hand up before unleashing it into the man's side. To his shock, Mizore didn't react in the slightest to having a chakra-enhanced punch slammed into his ribs. Mizore hit him with his other fist, knocking Naruto into one of the ice pillars Fubuki had summoned.

Kakashi turned around at the sound of Naruto crashing into the pillar, going through seals as a column of swirling water rose out of the ocean, "Suiton: Suiryûdan no Jutsu!"

Mizore jumped out of the way as a dragon of water crashed into the spot he'd previously been occupying.

"Risk your life and keep shooting!" the director shouted from the bottom of the slope. "Take pride in our work!"

Naruto stood up, back to back with Kakashi, "Sensei, what's going on? What's with that armor?"

"It's Yuki no Kuni's armor, specially made and tailored for each individual ninja," Kakashi said seriously. "It's chakra armor. They use it to power up."

"You remember?" Rouda asked nonchalantly, seemingly impressed. "This armor expands my internal chakra and strengthens my techniques. It creates a wall of chakra around the body, so yours and other's chakra are weaker. This causes chakra anti-phase, so Ninjutsu and Genjutsu are useless."

"That armor doesn't make you invincible," Kakashi said coldly.

Simultaneously, both Rouda and Kakashi swept through hand seals. Naruto pulled his sword free, rearing back for a swing.

"Hyôton: Haryuu Mouko!"

"Suiton: Suiryûdan!"

"Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

A dragon of snow leapt from the mountains, colliding with a dragon of water that flew from the ocean. A third dragon came from the land, made of icy cold water compressed into a detailed, corporeal form. Rouda dodged to the left, clearing the path of the dragon but for the thin lock of hair that hung in front of his eyes. To his shock, after the dragon had sunk into the ocean, that lock of hair was encased in thick ice.

"I see," he said once he regained his composure, "so that's why they call you the Dragon God. And here I thought Orochimaru was exaggerating your abilities."

"What?" Kakashi and Naruto demanded simultaneously.

"My," Rouda drawled, pulling a booklet from his armor, "you didn't know? He's put quite an impressive bounty on your head."

The booklet fluttered down to the ground in front of Kakashi, opened to a page with his blond haired student's picture on it. It read: Namikaze Naruto. Rank-A threat.

"Nami…kaze," Kakashi whispered in shock.

Mizore, once more on his snowboard, slid down the mountain slope towards Yukie, who was kneeling on the ground reliving the night her uncle had revolted, killing her father in the process. Memories of the flames licked at the air in front of her. Mizore lifted his hand, taking advantage of her distraction, and ropes shot out, wrapping around Yukie. Sakura quickly cut them off with a kunai, courageously facing towards a superior enemy.

"You little bitch!" Mizore yelled angrily, raising his fist.

He didn't get any farther, as Naruto's fist collided with his face. He stood again, growling angrily, "You little brat!"

He punched, first with his ironclad hand, then with his normal hand. Naruto grabbed them both and immediately started an inverted game of tug-o-war, pushing against the behemoth in front of him. Mizore scowled as he looked into Naruto vibrant blue eyes.

Fubuki smirked as one of her ice pillars finally caught up to Sasuke, engulfing him in the frozen mass. Her smirk disappeared, however, when Sasuke was replaced with a backpack with an explosive note on it. The explosion shattered the ice pillar, making her unprepared for the wires that shot forth and tied her to another pillar. As fire rushed along the wires, a set of wings opened up from the metal disk on her back, setting her free. She took to the air at the last second.

"What are you doing?" Naruto turned his head slightly, glaring at Yukie as she trembled. "Hurry up and go!"

"No…" she whispered shakily, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Princess, let's hurry and return!" Sandayuu insisted. "Hurry up if you value your life! You will die for sure if you stay!"

"No!" Yukie shouted, clutching her head. "I won't leave Snow Country!"

Naruto glared, "You're being very self—!"

He was cut off as Mizore took advantage of his distraction and tossed him to the side. Naruto collided with the ground and disappeared with a pop and a small cloud of smoke. Free of the encumbering boy, Mizore aimed his arm and his iron hand shot forth, connected to him by a wire. Sakura dove in front of it and he scowled, jerking his arm and sending her into the snow. She was unconscious.

Yukie chose that moment to collapse.

"Princess!" Sandayuu cried.

Kakashi turned to help but Rouda wouldn't allow it. He yelled, "Your fight is with me! Hyôton: Itsukaku Hakuegei!" (Section Beluga)

A creature resembling a whale rose from the ice, blocking Kakashi's path. He stopped, silent for a few seconds. Then, he said, "I see. That's a powerful Jutsu."

He pulled up his hitai-ate, revealing the Sharingan, "Then _I_ will fight you. Naruto! Get everyone to safety."

"No!" Naruto shouted, eyes shining with anger and determination. A white, visible aura lit up around his form and the temperature in the air seemed to take a nose-dive. "_I_ will handle this guy."

His tone brooked no argument, "Kakashi-sensei, get everyone onto the boat."

Hesitating only slightly, Kakashi leapt away to help everyone escape. Rouda laughed loudly, a smirk on his lips, "You? Handle me? Go back to your little sandbox, brat."

Naruto turned his frigid glare onto Rouda, "I can see that you're not going to back down. You leave me no other alternative."

"What's this?" Rouda teased cockily. "Trying to act tough, eh?"

Naruto's next word sent chills down the Snow ninja's spine, "Bankai."

Wings of ice spread outward, maneuvering with amazing ease considering their composition. They were attached to the Konoha Genin's back, covering his shoulders with a protective layer. Beneath the wings was a large tail of ice that flicked back and forth, as if it belonged on the boy. A thick layer of jagged ice covered the blonde's right arm, encasing his fist and the hilt of his sword in a dragon's head. His feet were covered in ice as well, forming what appeared to be a dragon's paws. His left arm, from elbow to wrist, was also covered in ice, a claw like paw attached to the wrist.

The hilt guard on the sword appeared to be the only thing that had changed about the katana, morphing into an eight-point star. Four ice flowers, each with four petals, hovered around the blonde's form. Naruto's eyes were frigid blue, "Daiguren Hyôrinmaru." (Great Crimson Lotus Ice Ring)

Naruto lifted his sword slowly, his voice calm and unwavering, "Normally, I would have to conjure up my own ice for this purpose, using up a fair chunk of energy in the process. But…"

Pillars of ice rose up around Rouda, the space between them just wide enough to allow escape should he try to squeeze his way out. Naruto continued, "You chose to fight an ice user, one with far deadlier techniques than yours, on an area where he had the advantage. You actually provided me with the material I needed for this technique. Foolish."

He twisted his sword sideways, until the flat of the blade was parallel to the ground. The pillars rushed in, trapping Rouda in a prison of ice, "Sennen Hyôrô." (Thousand Year Ice Prison)

Naruto looked up, watching as Rouda fled using a set of mechanical wings. Fubuki and Mizore followed his lead, disappearing into the sky. As soon as they vanished, he looked back down at the iceberg beneath his floating feet, "Time to take care of this problem."

He swung down into the glacier, watching as a thin ripple waved across it in either direction. Invisible from the surface, a thin sheet of ice split the glacier in half, causing it to collapse in different directions. As the boat sailed away, the iceberg split into pieces, falling into the sea.

Naruto hovered a few feet from the boat's edge, watching as the giant berg sank into the water. He was just barely within the camera's scope, his wings hiding his face.

"Cut!" the director yelled.

o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Sandayuu-san…you knew it, didn't you?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes…" was the quiet reply.

"You know what would happen if the princess returns to Snow Country."

"It was my only way to bring the princess back here. I couldn't do anything else."

"So Yukie is a real princess?" Naruto asked the question he knew his teammates wanted to but wouldn't.

"Yes," Kakashi answered, "Fujikaze Yukie is using a fake name. Her real name is Kazahana Koyuki, the heiress to the Snow Country throne."

"She might not remember, now," Sandayuu said, "but when she was young, I was by her side. I served her father, Kazahana Sousetsu. The Kingdom was small but peaceful. Sousetsu-sama loved the princess very much.

"Everyday, he spent time with her. However, ten years ago, Dotou, Sousetsu-sama's little brother, hired ninja and revolted. He took over the kingdom. When I found her, she was already an actress."

"It would have been better if I had died that day," Yukie said, standing in the door.

"Please don't say such things," Sandayuu said. "You're alive, and that brings us great hope."

"I haven't cried since that day," she said coldly. "My body may be alive, but my heart died a long time ago."

"Princess Yukie!" Sandayuu bowed, kneeling on the floor. "You must overthrow Dotou and become the new queen!"

"I don't want to."

"But the people of Snow Country!" Sandayuu protested.

"It's none of my business," Yukie insisted coldly. "You should know when to give up! No matter what you do, you can never beat Dotou!"

"If you truly believe that, then you never will," Naruto told her, his voice icy. "If you have nothing to die for, then you're not truly alive. To accomplish anything, you must have courage and you must persevere. Giving up is _never_ an option. To be able to live life as you wish, you must be willing to die for a cause. Otherwise, death is a kinder fate."

"People dream because they never give up. You can see your future when you find your dream," the director said airily. "Not too bad. That's the perfect theme for the final chapter of the Sky Princess."

"Y-you want to," Shinji, the assistant director, stuttered, "continue the movie?"

"Didn't I mention it?" the director, Enishi, asked. "We're going to make this into a movie! Imagine it! A real princess acting in it! This is a once in a lifetime chance!"

"Really!" Shinji grinned. "Then the topic would be a big one!"

"Without any fuss, people will accept it," the director said, nodding.

"Wait!" Yukie started to protest.

"You've no other choice, now," Kakashi told her. "Dotou knows that you're alive, so you've no place to hide."

"Stop talking such nonsense!" Yukie shouted. "Reality and movies are different things! There's not a happy ending in reality!"

"You can overcome that!" Enishi insisted firmly.

"We should probably go home for some back up, but…" Kakashi commented.

"We've got two Sharingan users, two swordsmen, and two A-ranked ninja. The members of Team Seven should be enough for this mission," Sasuke said.

"Then it's decided. We'll continue," Enishi said.

"Let's make a happy ending!" Shinji shouted excitedly.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto stared into the cavern, the harsh wind whipping around his skin and through his hair. To most, the cold air and even colder temperatures would be a reason to wear a heavy coat and snow boots, but Naruto needed neither. He was an ice-elemental. To him, this cold wind was like a summer breeze.

"All our crew gathered at the other side of this cave," Sandayuu said. "Once we're finished with our work here, we'll join them."

"Tell me, Sandayuu-san," Naruto said quietly, never turning from the cave, "do you truly think…?"

"Yes," Sandayuu replied firmly. "I will believe in Yukie-sama, even if she doesn't believe in herself."

Less than an hour later, the entire group was inside one of the vehicles, which was carrying them through the cavern. Naruto was sipping some tea, a habit that he'd picked up after a month of eating lunch with Hinata. It was quite a soothing habit, he had to admit, but he doubted anyone could imagine him as a tea-drinker.

"This place used to have a railway," Sandayuu commented. "It extended all the way into Tsurara…but the tracks are frozen beneath the ice."

"Railway?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Yes," Sandayuu nodded. "It allowed us to travel by train all over the Land of Snow. We could leave one end of the country in the morning and arrive at the other end by nightfall."

"Kakashi-sensei, why don't we have a railway and train for Konoha?" Naruto asked.

"Because we don't need it," Kakashi answered simply. "Most of the people who leave the village are ninja fast enough to outrun a train, so the railway and tracks would be pointless. Besides, it would cost too much to hack away a path through the trees."

"Oh," Naruto said lamely.

They stopped outside near a cliff, everyone unloading their materials. The director stepped out of his trailer, shouting, "All right! Let's begin!"

"Director! Big problem!" Shinji cried, panic in his voice. "It's Yukie! She's run away again!"

With a sigh, Team Seven leapt off of the cliff in order to search for her. The snow crunched quietly beneath their feet as Kakashi gave his orders, "Everyone split up to find her. When you do find her, contact the rest of us via radio. Go!"

"Roger!" the three Genin called out in unison.

Naruto stopped on a rock as his teammates continued forward, then made an hand seal. Twenty Kage Bunshin appeared in a poof of smoke, each one saluting him. He sighed, "Split up and search the area. When you find her, activate the homing beacon on your kunai and pursue. Do not take action."

"Hai!" chorused the group. In a blur, all of them took off in separate directions. The real Naruto squared his expression, then leapt into the forest.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto landed in the tree branch next to his clone, nodding to it with approval. With a hand seal, all of the clones dispelled themselves and their knowledge flooded his brain. He grimaced, the only sign that the clones' memories had caused him any sort of discomfort. He was still getting used to the sensation of accumulated knowledge.

Naruto landed on the snow with barely a sound, walking slowly towards Yukie's prone form. He kneeled next to her, whispering quietly into her ear, "This is the last time you get to run away. Everyone is waiting for you."

Picking her up, he hoisted her onto his back, her arms hanging limply over his shoulders as he carried her back to the others and the movie caravan. After a few minutes of walking, the came upon the cavern they had traveled through before and he continued ceaselessly, trudging through it dutifully. Finally, after being silent for the entire journey, she spoke, "Why is it that you always find me?"

"Because it's my mission," he said firmly. "It doesn't matter to me if you hate it or hate me for it. Or even run away. I know how you feel, so I'll do my best to make sure you don't have to feel this way."

"Fine," she said after a pause. "Let's go back. All I can do is act for the camera. I can't do anything else."

Naruto sighed, "You know, you remind me of this little boy I met a while back. He cried all the time as soon as he thought no one was watching and he scorned everyone who tried to free his country from an evil man, telling them it was hopeless and that they would just die. He even yelled at me, calling me stupid for thinking I could defeat Gatou.

"Well, one day, when he was about to lose his most precious person, he decided to go against his own words and fought Gatou, if indirectly. He was willing to give up his life, and he would have, if not for some timely intervening on my part. After that, he smiled up at me, and thanked me for everything I'd done."

"So?" Yukie mumbled. "How does this apply to me?"

"Because, Yukie-san," Naruto said firmly, "you're just like Inari was before he met me."

There was a sudden sound and Naruto stopped, stiffening in preparation. A light lit up the cavern, and a rumbling sound met his ears. Cursing at how inopportune it was, he turned and disappeared in a flash, Yukie screaming as she clung to his neck. Still, the train was fast and ever on their tails, slowly getting nearer.

A whistle sounded as the roaring locomotive steadily caught up with the blonde boy, breathing down his neck with steam and smoke. Naruto's legs burned as he struggled to keep ahead of the beastly machine, using Shunpô every couple of seconds to gain a lead away from the thing. Still, it came, drawing ever nearer despite his efforts.

As the train got closer, its whistle blowing almost right into the blonde's ears, Naruto leapt through the tunnel opening and to the side, crashing into the snow bank. Dislodged from Naruto, Yukie fell face first into the snow. The train thundered on past, several meters from their location. It screeched to a halt with little effort, standing ominously in front of the tall hill that would be the only means of escape.

"It's been a long time, Koyuki," Yukie looked up to the man who had spoken. He stood on top of the train, which had stopped not long after it had exited the cave, its entire body snaked over the wood and steel tracks.

"Kazahana Dotou," Yukie said breathlessly.

"It's been twelve years," Dotou said oily. "Come closer. Let me get a better look at your face."

Naruto glared at the man, standing in between him and Yukie. He reached up, grasping his sword tightly as a white aura lit up around his figure.

"Eh?" Dotou arched an eyebrow.

There was a large rumbling, and everyone turned their eyes towards the cliff, where several logs clambered down the slope and crashed into the train. The metal behemoth threatened to tilt on its side, wobbling dangerous, before it settled down again. Sandayuu and several other men dressed in armor stood at the top of the hill, assembled as an army.

"Everyone! Come and see our Princess Koyuki!" Sandayuu cried to his comrades. "If we fight alongside her, we can win this war!"

Cheers of valor rose to greet his proclamation, roaring into the bleak sky.

Sandayuu drew his katana, "Kazahana Dotou! You know how long we have awaited this day! Today we will end all the hatred which has acclimated over the ages and we will avenge our late king, Kazahana Sousetsu-sama!"

Naruto glanced to the right and saw the director and his camera crew filming under the cover of a tarp.

"So," Dotou drawled, "the likes of you are still alive."

"Sorry," Rouda apologized, "we'll take care of them."

"No," Dotou said, a dark grin on his face, "let's give them a taste of…'helplessness'."

Sandayuu and his men charged forward as Dotou pressed a button, prompting several compartments to open up on the train's side. The men slowed their descent only slightly, then started screaming as hundreds of kunai launched from the train without any specific target.

"No!" Naruto cried, watching as countless warriors fell to the ground, dead or dying. A windmill Shuriken protected the gray-haired man who was the catalyst for it all, blocking the kunai from getting an 'instant kill'. Sandayuu, the only one left standing and injured beyond help, collapsed backwards as Sasuke leapt onto the scene.

Pulling out a kunai, he threw it at one of the barrels controlling the guns, an explosive tag dangling from its end. It exploded, destroying that particular turret. In that instance, the entirety of the guns stopped firing.

From up on the cliff, Sakura tossed a wad of explosive notes, which then exploded and caused an avalanche to form. It thundered down the mountain, then rolled over and buried a portion of the train. The intact part of the train detached from its hindquarters and sped on down the tracks for a tactical retreat.

Sasuke made to follow, but Kakashi jumped down and stopped him, "Wait, Sasuke. Don't go after them."

"Princess," Sandayuu called weakly. Yukie kneeled beside him. "Sincerely sorry…to get you…tangled up in this…We gathered…because of the princess…and we never gave up…"

"Sandayuu," Yukie protested, "don't—"

Sandayuu interrupted her, grasping her leg firmly, "Please believe in yourself…as we believed…in our princess…I fought and died for this belief…so please…don't cry…"

With a final sigh, he went limp.

"You're an idiot, Sandayuu," Yukie told him. "You have my eye drops."

Standing, she turned and started walking with only three words, "Let's go back."

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked her heatedly. "This is your home! You want to go back? Then fight for the home that was taken from you!"

"You don't know anything," she replied icily. "There's no spring in Snow Country. It's a place that freezes your tears, even your heart."

She turned and continued walking. Naruto charged up to her, grabbing her by the wrist, "Wait."

She pulled her arm from his grasp, "Get away!"

There was a sudden swooshing sound as a blimp-like object dove into view, Mizore standing in the open doorway. He aimed, and his hand shot forth, grabbing Yukie and pulling her towards him. As soon as she was safely aboard, a rain of kunai with little blue balls attached came down on Sasuke and Kakashi, who had rushed forwards to try and save Yukie. The moment one of the kunai hit the ground, they caused spikes of ice to pop up, spearing whatever was in their way.

Sasuke landed on top of one to the spikes, on its flat side, a safe distance from any of its pointy spines. "Sakura!" he yelled. "Where's Naruto?"

"I don't see him, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called back. To herself, she muttered, "That idiot; he couldn't have!"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Koyuki, you have become beautiful," Dotou said to her, where she sat on the couch. "Do you have the Hexagon Crystal with you?"

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"Good, it is the only thing that connects us as one family," Dotou said, all pretense abandoned. "This is also the key for the treasure."

"The key for the treasure?" Yukie asked, doubtful.

"When I took over the country, the Kazahana family left me with nothing!" Dotou explained. "Sousetsu must have hidden his treasure somewhere else. My search took a long time, but I finally found it! It's hidden in the Rainbow Glacier. We saw a hole for a hexagon shaped crystal. If we got our hands on the Kazahana family treasure, then we'd have an army stronger than the five ninja nations!"

Yukie had trouble believing him, but went along with it simply to appease him. She didn't know what he'd do if she voiced her disbelief.

"Now," he turned to her, since he'd been pacing around in his rant, "give me the crystal!"

Reaching up behind her neck, she pulled the crystal off and handed in to him. As he took it though, his smirk quickly turned into a frown. "This is…"

He grabbed Yukie by her coat, lifting her off the floor, "Do you take me for a fool? This is fake!"

A memory flitted through Yukie's mind, the dimness of it suddenly clear as she realized what had happened. Eyes wide, she whispered, "Hatake…Kakashi…"

"What?" Dotou asked, teeth gritting together angrily.

"Ah, now I understand," Rouda said. "He's the kind of guy to do something like that. We'll bring Kakashi here immediately."

"There's no need to do that, they'll come to us soon," Dotou commented slyly, thrusting Yukie onto the couch. "We just have to wait."

Hours later found Yukie locked in a prison cell with no hope of escape. She just sat on the floor, staring at the bars impassively. No emotion flitted across her face; not fear, anger, sorrow, guilt, or even boredom. She was numb, uncaring of the events happening around her.

There was a light clambering and a metal grate fell off an air vent, a person dropping down from the ceiling within the dark room. Bright blue eyes turned to her and she recognized the person as Naruto. He walked up to her cell, stroking the bars gently. He flicked one lightly, listening as it hummed metallically, then smirked.

"Stay still," he commanded, pulling his sword from its sheath. He walked over to the edge of the door, slashing downwards over the hinges. She almost arched an eyebrow when nothing happened, but her eyes widened as he pulled on the door's bars and it came right out of place, leaving a hole in her jail cell.

As Naruto motioned for her to follow him, there was a loud explosion that rocked the building. There was a shout from two men down the hall, who had undoubtedly come to check on her. A swoosh met her ears, like that of a curtain fluttering in the wind, and, before she knew what was happening, Naruto had already knocked them unconscious without seeming to have moved an inch from where he stood.

Grabbing her by the hand, he pulled her towards the exit, twisting around corners and rushing over bridges. She tried to memorize the turns they made: left, right, right, left, left, right, right, left, right, right, left, left, right. As they crossed over one bridge, however, a snow ninja appeared, standing between them and their path to safety. Naruto took a step forward, fingering his sword's hilt.

"Wait, Naruto!" the ninja waved his hands, reaching up to pull off his disguise. Kakashi looked back at him, "it's me."

Naruto let out a sigh of relief, "Kakashi-sensei."

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Kakashi said. "The princess seems alright."

Yukie glared, "Did you exchange the fake Hexagon Crystal?"

"I'm sorry," Kakashi handed her the real thing, "but it seemed like a good idea."

"All of this for nothing," she muttered.

Footsteps echoed and two people appeared where Naruto had come from, each wearing a tan cloak. Sakura yelled, "Don't come this way! Their security is tight!"

Yukie leading the way, the entire group headed down the path, making for the apparent exit. They followed Yukie into a large room, much like a throne room, with a large chair situated atop a platform. A man stood off of his seat.

"Dotou!" Kakashi yelled.

"Good work, Koyuki," Dotou said proudly.

Breaking into a run, Yukie fled up the stairs, Fubuki, Mizore, and Rouda blocking the ninja from following her. Handing the Hexagon Crystal to Dotou, she turned to Team Seven, "It seems you were mistaken. After all…I am an actress."

"You see," Dotou preened victoriously, "you should never have opposed me! I hold all the cards. And Yukie…she fooled you so easily! It was an act the whole time!"

"Yes…" Yukie muttered hollowly, "it's an act."

Pulling a short sword from seemingly nowhere, she turned around and stabbed Dotou with all her might.

"What?" Dotou gasped, staring at his niece with horrified shock.

"Damn!" he reached out, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her off her feet.

"I knew it all along, Naruto," Yukie told him, glaring at Dotou. "I knew that I would die the moment I came back to the Land of Snow."

She looked back at him sadly, "It's a good thing you're here, Naruto. See? I didn't run away…even until the very end."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Naruto shouted. "You _are _running away! There's still so much left you have to do!"

"Damn you!" Dotou growled, squeezing her neck harder. "Die!"

"If I'm going to die," Yukie forced out, glaring at Dotou "then I'm…at least…going to…"

She twisted the knife. With a wince, Dotou stumbled backwards, still holding onto his niece, dangerously close to the edge of the platform. With a final gasp, they fell off of the pillar that held the throne and onto the floor.

Out of nowhere, Naruto rushed over to the fallen bodies, reaching for Yukie. Before he could so much as shake her, however, Dotou's fist came up and smashed into his face, knocking him back towards his team with a thud. Naruto stood, glaring at the large man with cold blue eyes as he rubbed his sore cheek.

"This toy knife can't kill me!" Dotou laughed, shedding his cloak. There was a familiar body suit beneath it, the panel in the center glowing ominously. "That's right! This is the newest chakra armor!"

He picked Yukie up, tucking her under one arm, "Come on. Let's go, Koyuki, to the other side of the rainbow!"

Mechanical wings spreading from the back of his armor, Dotou took off through the broken ceiling. As the building started to collapse, the snow ninja spread their own wings and took off after him. Cursing, Team Seven left for the exit as a white aura leapt to life around Naruto.

"Bankai."

Once more, ice spread over Naruto's body to form wings, claws, flowers, a gauntlet, and a tail. The metal ground beneath his feet became brittle after such a change in temperature, falling away even as he stood there.

Spreading his icy wings, Naruto took off into the sky after his enemy, following the arrogant Dotou through the clouds. He wouldn't let Yukie down.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasuke stopped suddenly, watching as Sakura raced on ahead. He glanced behind him, where he could sense the chakra of the enemy kunoichi that was following him. He schooled his face into the blank look he was so famous for as she came closer, his hand twitching in anxious anticipation.

"You know," he said quietly, "you've already seen Naruto's abilities. How about I show you mine?"

"Heh," she scoffed as he reached for his sword, "whatever, brat, it still won't save you."

Sasuke's blade slowly slid from its sheath, the metal grating against the wood with a sharp ring. Sasuke turned around steadily, gripping his blade loosely in his right hand. His eyes flashed red as he spoke the words, "Banshou Issai Kaijin to Nase, Ryûjin Jakka." (Burn all the world to ashes, Flowing Flame Blade)

Fubuki's eyes slowly widened as flames leapt to life around Sasuke's sword, dripping onto the ground and forming a wall that prevented any escape on foot. She was trapped in his technique with no way out but victory. In order to live and leave, she had to beat down this little punk standing in front of her.

A slow smirk spread across her lips, baring her pearly teeth to the night air. Who was she kidding? This little brat didn't stand a chance. Her armor negated his chakra, so his technique here was pointless and useless against her. She had absolutely nothing to worry about.

In a flash of fire, Sasuke had leapt forward at her. Unprepared, she couldn't block his attack in time to minimize the damage. A shriek of pain and agony left her mouth as her left hand fell to the ground, the skin around the wound cauterized shut by his sword. She stared at the stump on her left arm, then looked back at the boy standing there stoically. Fear flooded her veins.

"Come," Sasuke said coldly, holding his blade out in front of him.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Dotou dropped Yukie on her butt, walking over to the altar in the middle of the snow. Grinning greedily, he put the Hexagon Crystal in the opening in the altar, watching as it sunk and the altar glowed. The glow extended along the ground and to the glaciers surrounding them, lighting them up beautifully.

"Where is the treasure?" Dotou asked eagerly, ignoring the beautiful radiance of the glaciers. "Where is the _treasure_?"

Steam rose around him as the ice and snow began to melt, revealing patches of green grass.

"Warm," Yukie commented. "This is…"

"Where is this heat coming from?" Dotou asked angrily, brow knit in frustration. "Isn't this where the Kazahana family treasure is?"

"Princess!" a familiar voice called.

Dotou and Yukie looked towards the voice, the former of whom brought his arms up to protect his face. A sword crashed into his forearms, pushing against the armor that protected them. Wings of ice beat harshly as the armor resisted the icy touch of Naruto's powerful blade. It seemed that Dotou's armor was indeed the most advanced version.

With a mighty heave, Dotou managed to push the blond back, where he hovered a few feet off the ground, a mighty glare on his face. Dotou growled angrily, screwing his face up with the deepest scowl he could muster. This boy had ruined all of his plans, all of his carefully laid schemes. They all went up in smoke because of this one boy.

"Damn!" Dotou swore furiously, going through hand seals. "Hyôton: Kokuryuu Houfuusetsu!" (Black Dragon Blizzard)

Dotou punched the air, sending a black dragon towards the blonde. Naruto himself scowled as the dragon came closer, standing still as it roared towards him with its ethereal fangs bared in fury. There was a crash and a cloud of dust and smoke rose up around the blonde, obscuring his form from view.

"Naruto!" Yukie cried out sorrowfully. Dotou smirked victoriously, but it dropped the instant the smoke was blown away, revealing an orb of ice that quickly separated. Naruto, it was revealed, had used his wings to form a shield around his body, protecting him from the attack that Dotou had thrown his way.

"Such a weak attack," Naruto said coldly, his eyes frigid. "Such weak intent. No…it's not just the attack or the intent. You…You are weak."

Naruto raised his sword, "And because you are weak, your dragon is weak. In the end, it shall be your greed and your weakness that kills you."

The blade bit into the ground and, with a fierce rumble that shook Yukie to her core, three ice pillars rose on Dotou, one encasing his legs from the hip down, and one encasing the wrist and hand of each arm. They held him still and kept him from moving, leaving his chest as the most vulnerable part of his body. Were there are cross behind him, he would have looked like he was being crucified.

Naruto suddenly leapt into the air, soaring higher and higher into the sky until he was not but a dark speck in front of the clouds. A dragon came screaming down, its head the size of Dotou's body and its long, icy hide trailing behind as it let loose a titanic roar. At speeds that would have decimated tempered steel, it collided, nose first, with the disk on Dotou's chest that powered his armor.

Slowly, the dragon's face and body evaporated into the air, revealing Naruto with his sword stabbed into the disk on Dotou's chest, his wings folded for aerodynamic efficiency and his tail whipping behind him, his eyes cold as ice slowly crept across the disk powering Dotou's armor. The disk cracked as Naruto spoke his words, "Hokkyoku ni Gesshoku." (Lunar Eclipse in the Arctic)

He jerked his sword back and held his left hand forward, gathering chakra in the palm of his hand. An orb formed, floating sever centimeters above his fingers as it spun to an inaudible command, whipping the wind near itself around and around in circles. Naruto turned icy blue eyes onto Dotou, rearing his hand back for a strike.

"I believe in you, Naruto!" Yukie called out over the distance, even as the sun rose an the swirling chakra glowed to match the rainbow colors of the glacier. "The Sky Princess acknowledges you as the strongest ninja!"

"This is the end. Your future is death," Naruto said quietly, jerking his hand forward and driving his deadly attack straight into Dotou's unprotected and vulnerable chest. "Rasengan!"

Dotou's mouth snapped open in a silent scream as the spiraling chakra sank into his body, the ice holding him in place breaking and shattering as the force from the attack sent him flying. He jerked backwards as his body picked up height and speed, soaring over the melting ice and snow and colliding solidly with one of the glowing glaciers. Spider-web cracks spread through the ice upon impact, reaching out from the body that had caused so much damage.

Dotou was dead.

As the ice and snow melted, so did Naruto's foreign appendages evaporate into the warming air. With a soft smile, he reached up and sheathed his sword, the newly revealed grass bending beneath his superior weight. With a gentle gait, he stepped forward and walked towards the princess sitting with a dumbstruck look on her face.

He offered her a hand and a smile, "Well…I told you, didn't I?"

o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto leaned back against the fence, his fingers laced together behind his head as he watched the proceedings. Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi, the rest of Team Seven, stood beside him, their eyes also watching the parade as the Land of Snow, renamed as the Land of Spring, celebrated the ascension to power of their princess.

Dressed in ceremonial garb, with a large, pink, bamboo shade perched atop her head, Yukie sat on her throne as the denizens of her country partied as if it were the last day of their lives. Around the sprawling capital city, posters hung depicting the visages of Team Seven and Yukie. No face was bereft of a happy smile.

Children ran through the streets, throwing paper shuriken at one another as they fought mock battles against each other. Some wore black vests and pants with gloves on their hands and wooden swords tied to their backs, others wore the high-collared blue shirts of the Uchiha clan, while some even wore a bandana around their foreheads, with one side tilted down over their left eye.

Men drank of their beloved sake, pouring the delicious rice wine over each other's heads in jest, laughing or singing slurred words and verses in their drunken stupor. Wives tugged sharply at their husbands' ears, pulling their respective men away from the intoxicating beverage that held so much sway on the male mind.

"So, winter is gone for good?" Naruto asked, fingers laced behind his spiky mane of blonde hair.

"Yes," Yukie nodded, "the Land of Snow really is the Land of Spring, now."

"That's too bad, don't you think?" Sakura asked. "Now your acting talent will go to waste."

"Who said I was going to stop acting?" Yukie smiled. In her hands was a script with an orange cover, the words 'Icha Icha Paradaisu' emblazoned in bold lettering. "I can be Snow Country's Queen _and_ an actress! It would be stupid to give up one for the other, wouldn't it?"

"Th-that script!" Kakashi stuttered as Yukie walked away. She was attacked by kids down the street, each one begging for an autograph she was happy to give. "That script! Sh-she's perfect!"

Sasuke and Sakura sighed, each grabbing one of Kakashi's arms and pulling him away, "Come on, Kakashi-sensei."

Shaking his head, Naruto made follow them when a hand stopped him short. Wary of who the hand belonged to, Naruto turned his head around to look into the black eyes that fit to a familiar face. The owner's nose and lips were hidden behind the high collar of an ankle-length, tattered red mantle that seemed to have seen _years_ worth of travel.

Dark brown hair (no doubt the result of a brown-on-black dye job) framed the figure's face in a way that Naruto knew intimately, a conical bamboo shade covering his head. Thin, premature age lines descended diagonally from the figure's eyes, slowly fading into the young flesh of his cheeks. A dirty, crimson bandana hid his forehead from view, pushing down slightly on his eyebrows.

The eyes curved upwards in a slight mimicry of Kakashi's famous 'eye smile' and Naruto knew that the man's lips were curling in a way that they hadn't for nearly six years. Before he could say a word, Itachi's smooth voice whispered to him, "Would you mind leading this hopelessly lost wanderer home, Naruto-kun?"

As Naruto nodded dumbly, Itachi pushed something metallic into his open palm, then closed it so that the contents wouldn't fall. As the disguised Uchiha slowly left to follow the rest of Team Seven, Naruto unfurled his fingers and gasped as he saw exactly what it was that Itachi had given to him. They would prove his loyalty to Konoha without a doubt.

Resting idly against the flesh of his palm were the Akatsuki rings of Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach**

**Believe it or not, the most important part of this chapter was the very end. BTW, if you need to imagine what Itachi's mantle looks like, imagine the one that Vincent Valentine wears in Advent Children. Incidentally, 'The Promised Land' is also a song on the Advent Children Soundtrack.**

**By the way, for all you Inuyasha fans, I've done some research into the Kanji on Sô′unga's sheath. So far, I've come up with this:  
**叢雲牙 — Grass Cloud Fang  
霜雲牙 — Frost/Frozen Cloud Fang  
薮雲牙 — Bush Cloud Fang

**Though the first kanji, "Sô" is difficult to read, it seems to be "Grass". Especially if Kagome's grandfather misread the inscription. So, as far as I can tell, Sô′unga means "Grass Cloud Fang".**

_**Ille Iterum Veniet… (The Second Advent)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes  
**_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	6. Memories in the Rain

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**For NaruHina version, see "Chapter VI: B-Side".**

**Chapter Six: Memories in the Rain  
— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, frowned, looking down at the young man that kneeled in front of her submissively with suspicion in her amber gaze. His head was bowed, showing her a crown of dark brown locks that could only be the result of a desperate dye-job. His breathing was calm and deep, as though he were not afraid of whatever judgment she would make of him.

She could sense no nervousness or fear from the seventeen year old before her, his neck bared enough for any fool to make a swift, killing blow. He was trusting his life in her hands, almost like he was _not_ a mass murderer with a humongous bounty on his head. He seemed as if nothing had changed since he was thirteen, as if he was simply requesting or reporting for another mission.

She looked over toward Jiraiya, noting dully that he looked as serious as she had ever seen him, and silently asked a second time if the story he had told her was true. The white-haired pervert nodded solemnly, telling her just as silently that the information he had given her just a few days ago was indeed true. Her frown deepened.

Naruto stood by the door, his arms folded in front of his chest and his half-lidded blue eyes watching the scene with an aloofness that even Hyuga Hiashi would admire. He was, Tsunade noticed with a hint of sadness, becoming more and more like the ninja he was supposed to be. A Chûnin flak jacket was leaned up against the wall behind his leg.

"Oi, Baa-chan," Naruto called calmly, swallowing his fear as she turned a narrowed eye onto him. "Aren't you going to even ask for evidence of his loyalty or something like that?"

Naruto suppressed a shiver as Tsunade threw a dark glare at him, her right eyebrow twitching dangerously beneath her blonde bangs. He gulped at the promise of pain hidden deep within her molten chocolate gaze, a thick drop of sweat trickling down his face as a vein started to pulse visibly on her forehead.

"He's right, Tsunade-hime," Jiraiya said calmly. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as the woman's intense glare was refocused onto the white-haired man, her burning eyes willing the Toad Sage to burst into flame spontaneously. Jiraiya seemed unfazed.

"It's your responsibility as Hokage to review all the evidence and facts before making a judgment," the pervert continued, his eyes unwavering and strong. He was firm in his conviction and was taking the situation with all of the seriousness it deserved. Naruto had a newfound respect for him.

Tsunade hung her head and sighed, leaning back against her thick wooden desk, "I know that."

She looked up at Itachi expectantly, "Well? Do you have any proof of your loyalty?"

Itachi seemed to hesitate, then pointed at Naruto, "My first piece of evidence, or rather, my first _two_ pieces of evidence, rest on Naruto-kun's fingers."

Taking his cue, Naruto held up his right hand so that his Hokage could get a better look at it. Resting snugly on his ring finger and his middle finger were the Akatsuki rings of Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. One bore the kanji character for 'Suzaku' and the other bore the character for 'South'.

"I see," Tsunade nodded, "but if that is all you have…"

"No," Itachi responded, pulling a scroll from the depths of his mantle, "I have more."

He laid a scroll out on the floor, unraveling it so that the assembled group could see that it was a storage scroll. He bit his thumb, wiping the blood that gathered onto the paper, then flipped through hand seals. He finished quickly, placing his palms against the edge of the delicate but sturdy rice-paper. In a flash, two pieces of a legendary sword sat in Tsunade's office.

"Is that…" Jiraiya asked quietly, "Samehada?"

Itachi nodded, "I retrieved the two halves of this sword before I set out to make contact with Naruto-kun. Without the life force of its original owner present, it was unable to resist me. As it was, in two pieces, its sentient mind is slowly dieing, though its powers are no less weak."

"Which means that it could be re-forged into something else," Naruto injected, eyes fixed on the broken sword. "It could be melted down and shaped into armor, or even several new swords."

"Since Naruto-kun is the one who broke it," Itachi said, glancing back at the boy, "I think he deserves to decide what shall be done with it."

Naruto shrugged at the two Sannin's questioning looks, confirming that he had indeed cut it in two, then spoke, "I don't really have any need of it, so it should be made into ninja-to for the ANBU. I think they'll find it really useful."

"Very well, I'll have our best blacksmith get to work immediately," Tsunade turned back to Itachi. "Anymore evidence…?"

"Yes," Itachi nodded, pulling two scrolls from his mantle, "the last words of the Sandaime Hokage and the head of Hoshigaki Kisame."

Eyes wide, Tsunade reached out and grasped the scrolls, one of which had a seal on it that could only belong to her sensei, Sarutobi. The other had splotches of blood along the edges and bloody fingerprints on the outside, both dried up and dyed maroon from age. She handed the bloody scroll to Jiraiya, who took it with something of a grimace on his face.

With haste born of anxiety, Tsunade tore open the scroll in her hands, her eyes scanning the paper with a critical gaze that left even Itachi impressed. She looked up at several points in her reading, either at Itachi himself or at Naruto, no doubt trying to justify the words before her. Her lips fell into a sad smile as she read the last bits of it, her eyes settling on Naruto, who shifted uncomfortably.

She sighed as she rolled the scroll back up, looking over at Jiraiya. Her face twisted into a look of disgust as he grimaced, holding up the severed head of the infamous ninja Hoshigaki Kisame. There was a hole in the man's forehead, right beneath the metal plate of his hitai-ate, and a surprised look on his face, his mouth opened slightly in fear to reveal sharp teeth. Jiraiya held him by his blue hair.

Tsunade sighed, "Alright, we have the evidence needed. Welcome back, Itachi-san."

"There's only one problem," Jiraiya said, frowning as he resealed Kisame's head, "what are we going to tell the villagers?"

A mischievous and evil smile crept over Naruto's lips as an idea popped into his head, "I think I know what we can say to them…"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasuke slowly walked into the plaza, noting absently that it seemed every person in Konoha was gathered for whatever purpose Tsunade had summoned them. Looking over, he could see Sakura and Ino chatting, probably taking guesses about what was going on. He didn't see Naruto anywhere, though, and snorted as he figured that the blonde was eating Ramen somewhere.

Sasuke turned his dark gaze over to the stage that Tsunade stood upon and saw a tall man that couldn't be older than seventeen standing next to the Hokage. There was something familiar about the man, the hairstyle in particular, but he couldn't place his finger on what it was that made the man seem memorable. Or rather, he couldn't place his finger on who the man reminded him of.

It bugged him. It was even more annoying than when Naruto had worn those god-awful orange jumpsuits. Those he could handle, simply because it was Naruto who wore them. The nagging feeling in the back of his head, however, he could not handle. It kept telling him that he should recognize that man standing up on the stage. That he _knew_ that man.

Sasuke growled lightly, wishing that Tsunade would just get this whole announcement thing over with, so that he could go home and ponder this problem properly. But there were still people who had yet to arrive, people who, for whatever reason, needed to hear this speech that she was going to give. So Sasuke waited.

Finally, after everyone had arrived, the grand and mighty Fifth Hokage spoke up, her strong voice carrying out over the massive crowd standing before her, "People of Konoha! I have gathered you here today to tell you the truth of a matter that has long since been misunderstood and misinterpreted!"

"Get on with it," Sasuke growled lightly, scowling up at the youthful face of the Hokage.

"The truth that you know is nothing more than a lie!" she claimed, her voice echoing across the silent mass of citizens and ninja. Her fierce, chocolaty brown eyes bore into the gaze of everyone present, forcing their attention onto her. "I have come here today to speak to you about an event that has bred a great misconception!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as she continued her speech, her words strong and unwavering. There was an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach, as though something was wrong with this entire set up, this entire event. With a muffled curse, he turned his Sharingan on and immediately felt his stomach drop. She was lying.

"I have come here today to speak to you about one single event," she continued, her gaze firm and unwavering. "I have come here today to speak to you about that dreaded event nearly five years ago. As I'm sure all of you have guessed, that event is…"

"No…" Sasuke whispered disbelievingly, his eyes wide as she pressed on.

"The Uchiha massacre," she finished, her lips drawn tight as the entire assembly looked at her with awe and surprise. "What you have been told is a lie. Uchiha Itachi was _not_ the man who slaughtered the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Itachi is a victim of a dastardly plot, as well as circumstance."

Her eyes swept over the entire group, "We have learned recently, from the mouth of the man himself, that Orochimaru desires the Sharingan above all else. He wants its power to learn every technique the ninja world has to offer. With the Sharingan, he could accomplish that. And the Uchiha clan was the only clan with the Sharingan.

"We have also learned," she went on, ignoring the looks she got, "that he wanted the eyes of the strongest Uchiha he could find. He wanted the eyes of Uchiha Itachi. But Itachi was too well protected. He had an entire village, as well as his clan, to back him up. So Orochimaru resorted to the best possible plan he could execute in order to get Itachi's eyes."

Her face became grave, "He killed the entire clan and framed Itachi for it all."

The gasps of horror that followed were expected, but she ignored them, "By framing Itachi, he hoped to force him out of the village, where he would be helpless against the Snake Sennin's attacks and tricks. But Orochimaru was wary. Itachi was the strongest Uchiha since Madara. Defeating him would not be easy. So he left some insurance. He spared Uchiha Sasuke and left him alive incase Itachi proved too strong."

"She's…lying?" Sasuke whispered to himself, confused. "But…why would she be lying about this? Unless…"

He looked over at the man standing on the stage, his Sharingan peering at and memorizing the familiar stranger's appearance. His eyes widened to impossible size as the supposed identity of the man was revealed. But…was that _truly_ Itachi standing up there, looking as if the world was calm and everything was alright?

"What Orochimaru didn't know," Tsunade went on, "is that Itachi was reporting to the Hokage about the incident the moment that Orochimaru left the village to wait for him. At the time, there was no conceivable way to prove Itachi's innocence, so he was sent out on a spying mission. Luckily for us, Itachi proved too powerful for him to beat.

"Recently," Tsunade held up a scroll, "the Sandaime's last words were found and shown to me. In this scroll was the proof of Itachi's innocence. And so, Itachi was recalled and brought back here where he could do the most good as one of our elites!"

She gestured to the brown haired man standing on the stage with her. As he walked forward, she introduced him, "People of Konoha, I give you one of our most powerful shinobi and the man who killed Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi!"

There was a loud roar of approval from the crowd as Itachi bowed, but Tsunade ignored it all in favor of scanning the members of the gathering. She frowned as she looked amongst their numbers, but the person she was looking for was absent. Uchiha Sasuke had left the assembly.

This did not bode well.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasuke bit his lip, rolling over the information he had learned in his mind. He felt anger boil up inside his belly as he thought about everything and his curse seal reacted to that anger, flaring to life painfully. He stifled a groan as he forced the wretched mark back down, his lip bleeding from where he had bitten into it.

"_I want the truth!" Sasuke demanded, glaring at the teen that was unpacking and rearranging his old room. In a strange sense of déjà vu, it almost seemed like the older boy was merely coming back from another mission._

"_The truth?" Itachi asked calmly, arching his eyebrow slightly._

"_I know Tsunade was lying!" Sasuke shouted angrily. "Tell me the truth! The real reason why you killed the clan!"_

Sasuke let out a shuddering sigh, leaning back against the tree he was sitting in. It had been a few hours since he had asked that question, demanding that Itachi tell him the truth and not the lie that Tsunade had conjured. Itachi had seemed hesitant at first, as if he didn't want to tell Sasuke for whatever reason.

"_I killed them," Itachi said slowly, "because I was ordered to."_

"_What?" Sasuke hissed quietly, eyes narrowed._

"_The clan had plans," Itachi continued vaguely, "plans that would have weakened the village more than the nine-tails attack did. They were so obsessed with their own supposed superiority that they were willing to sacrifice the whole village in order to prove their strength. I had to stop that from occurring, or else we all would have been torn apart."_

Itachi's words from so long ago had popped into Sasuke's mind unbidden at that point, and he suddenly could tie that in to what Itachi had tried to tell him.

"_Obsessed with the organization, obsessed with the clan, obsessed with our lineage,"_ Itachi had hissed at those policemen, _"a worthless compulsion that enslaves us, limits our capabilities, leading us to fear what you don't understand."_

Then those words that followed, _"I've had enough. There's no hope left for this pathetic clan. The people of this clan are all the same. You focus on the trivial and lose sight of what's most important. Change is impossible in this fog of ignorance. How can we evolve when regulation is all we know?"_

He didn't want to believe it, that Itachi had been justified in his murder of the clan. It seemed impossible that the noble Uchiha clan was capable of such a dastardly plot, that they had actually planned to destroy the village to prove their strength…that his mother had been involved in it all.

"_The Hokage tried to convince them otherwise, subtly, without letting on that he knew about their plots, that I had told him what they intended to do," Itachi had continued. "But they didn't stop. They were too loyal to the clan. They put that loyalty above their loyalty to the village. Inevitably, it became impossible to change their ways. I was offered the mission to exterminate them for the good of the village. I accepted."_

_Itachi lifted haunted red eyes to meet Sasuke's wide black ones, "You can't understand, Sasuke, because you didn't grow up the same way I did. You didn't see the horror of the Third Great Shinobi War. I knew that, if the clan succeeded, the village would be too vulnerable to defend itself. If that happened, a Fourth Great War was imminent."_

"_Liar!" Sasuke had yelled, punching the older boy in the face. Itachi didn't block or dodge, his face twisting to the side with Sasuke's momentum. There was no blood, only the dull pain in Sasuke's knuckles._

"_Liar_…" Sasuke whispered aloud, hugging his knees to his chest. "You're such a liar, 'tachi."

Sasuke tensed, grasping at the mid-length sword strapped to his back. With a sharp, metallic rasp, it slid from its wooden sheath as Sasuke stood, slicing through the wires that had attempted to bind him to his tree. He adjusted his grip on his weapon, brandishing it in front of himself as the wires fell, cut and useless.

"Well, well," an oily voice cooed from the foliage, "perhaps he's not as useless as we first thought…eh?"

"You're right, Sakon," another voice called, a cockier tone to it, "and it seems that little twig of his has some use as well. Here was me, thinking that slab of steel wouldn't even cut butter."

"Whoever you are," Sasuke's eyes flashed, their irises bleeding into crimson red from their normal dark black shade, "you should know better than to attack a member of the elite Uchiha clan."

With three puffs of thick smoke, three corresponding summoned creatures, demons as they appeared to be, appeared on the tree with Sasuke. Flute music picked up in the crisp night air, ringing in the ears of Sasuke and the strange blind monsters. He scowled as the beasts charged towards him in perfect tandem, moving to the tune of the music.

Breaking into a soft run, Sasuke moved on a collision course with the beasts, muttering under his breath as he did so, "Banshou Issai Kaijin to Nase, Ryûjin Jakka."

As flames engulfed his sword in a fiery blaze, he swiped at the first monster, biting deep into its unnatural flesh and its ugly hide. With a dark growl and an explosion of smoke, the beast disappeared into nothingness, unable to retain its form after the fatal blow that Sasuke had dealt to it. The other creatures became more wary.

The flute seemed to pick up speed and become more frantic, moving at a much faster tempo than before. The beasts responded to this increase in speed and followed suit, jumping towards Sasuke with more agility than before. Sasuke ducked under the swing of a particularly brutal looking club and stabbed forward, impaling the second beast on his flaming sword. It vanished.

The music dancing in the air picked up even more speed, but that didn't matter to Sasuke. He rushed the final monster, ducking and weaving through its vicious and desperate strikes as it tried to kill him. As he stabbed its heart then beheaded it with his sword of fire, he idly wondered if such a beast were capable of feeling emotions like desperation.

As the final summoned creature disappeared in an explosion of smoke, Sasuke turned his impassive gaze towards the four strange ninja who had been watching the entire bout with amusement. His menacing Sharingan eyes swirled as he looked at each of them in turn, his lips curling slightly, "Who are you?"

"Who are we?" the gray-haired one chuckled loudly, his lips an unnatural shade of green. "We are the Sound Four, or the Otogakure no Shinobi Yonin Shu. You can call me Sakon of the West Gate."

"I am Jiroubou of the South Gate," the tubby one said sternly, his arms folded in front of his chest. Idly, Sasuke thought he could pass himself off as an Akimichi if he wanted.

"I'm Kidomaru of the East Gate," the one with six arms smirked. Sasuke recognized him as the cockier voice from before.

"I'm Tayuya of the North Gate," the red-haired girl said with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "Don't forget it, you stupid bastard."

"I see," Sasuke muttered, gauging his opponents' strengths and weaknesses. If he remembered correctly, based on the Sound Genin from the Chûnin Exams, ninja from Otogakure were often lousy team fighters. He smirked, the flames from his blade illuminating his face in a dark light, "Is that what you'd like me to put on your gravestones?"

Tayuya swore, then, in a flash, they all leapt at each other, each side determined to pound the other into the ground. Ducking under Sakon's high kick, Sasuke grabbed the other boy's leg, spinning around and throwing the silver-haired ninja into the oncoming Kidomaru. Tayuya was next, but Sasuke merely moved to the side, tripping her with his right leg and digging his elbow into her spine, right between her shoulder blades. She fell to the bark and didn't move.

With a jerk of his arm, the fire on his sword went out and he sheathed it with a dark scoff. These guys weren't even worth his blade. Sasuke turned his head as Jiroubou let out a battle cry, charging at him like a wounded rhino. Sasuke's lip curled into a sneer and he vanished in a blur, reappearing in front of the large ninja with his elbow buried in the larger boy's gut. Jiroubou fell backwards and didn't move.

"If this is the extent of your power, the extent of the power Orochimaru has given you, Sound Four, then I'm not impressed," Sasuke said smugly, his Sharingan fading back into black. "Orochimaru needs to find better help. You guys…you're pathetic."

Sasuke felt his lips curl in satisfaction as the four sound ninja stood up unscathed, each wearing a smirk on his or her face as black markings slowly crept across their skin. Crimson red bled into his black eyes as two tomoe swirling around his pupils appeared within his irises, spinning around and around like a wheel.

'_I'll become stronger, Itachi,'_ Sasuke thought as a dark smirk crept onto his lips. _'Then, when I'm strong enough to beat you, I'll force you to tell me the truth. No more lies, Big Brother. No more lies from your mouth.'_

Sasuke jumped backwards, flipping through hand seals as Sakon rushed forward to attack him. He stopped on the tiger seal, inhaling deeply as chakra gathered in his lungs. He blew outward and a giant fireball was conjured, barreling into the unprepared Sakon, consuming him in a ball of crackling flames.

Tayuya was next, leaping towards him in an inevitable taijutsu clash. Sasuke ducked underneath her right hook and kneed her squarely in her unprotected stomach, bringing his elbow up over her as she heaved and collapsed in on herself. Like before, the Uchiha's bony elbow came down and landed right between her shoulders. She crashed against the tree bark, sending splinters in the air but Sasuke was already gone.

Kidomaru was after her and, before the six-armed teen knew what had hit him, three of his arms were broken and hanging by his side at odd angles. He screamed as pain, like liquid fire, rushed through his limbs, racking pain receptors like looting bandits. He never saw the right hook aimed at his cheek before he went flying into the wall of a nearby building.

Jiroubou stumbled forward, roaring like a wounded rhinoceros and moving like a sumo wrestler, his hands reaching for his opponent. Sasuke scoffed at the larger boy, disappearing in a flash and reappearing behind his enemy, hovering in midair as his kick soared forward and crashed against the giant teen's skull, sending him diving forward into the wood.

Sasuke smirked, letting out a mocking chuckle, "Just as I said, pathetic."

Sakon stood first, his already blistering red skin darkening to crimson as his sclera blackened and an ugly fleshy red horn grew upwards from his forehead. Tayuya's skin darkened and tanned, horns growing out through her hair and forming a sort of crown on her head. The other two underwent similar mutations, each one more disturbing than the last.

Before Sasuke could move to parry their attacks, Sakon had knocked him down and Sasuke found himself staring up into those pitiless yellow eyes. He rolled out of the way as a vicious punch came down towards him, splintering the hard wood of the tree branch and sinking halfway through the limb.

Instantly, Sasuke moved, flickering in their vision as he appeared behind Sakon, his sword held in a reverse grip. Blood suddenly gushed out of the other ninja's back as a stab wound became clear a few inches from his right shoulder, doubtlessly puncturing his right lung. Sasuke hissed, using Naruto's name for the technique, "Senga." (Flash Fang)

Tayuya came charging at him next, calling out a battle cry as she aimed her fist for his unprotected head. He spun around swiftly, his sword moving like a phantom past his right hip and upwards. The strike caught Tayuya unprepared, slipping past her guard easily. Her shirt and chest bindings suddenly split open, revealing her bare breasts to the boy in front of her. A thin red cut arced up from her left hip, rolling over the swell of her right breast and ending at her shoulder.

Her nipples hardened in the cool night air and, with a shriek of embarrassment, she covered herself up with her arms, her bronze cheeks flooded with red. Sasuke's fist came from nowhere, colliding solidly with her cheek and sending her flying to the floor where she lay, motionless, her breasts exposed to the air. He blushed and looked away, half wishing he had kept his Sharingan on to burn that image to memory.

Kidomaru jumped at him next and Sasuke immediately turned his attention towards the six-armed teen, his sword flashing. He made two cuts into the red flesh of his enemy, the first one an exact opposite of the one on Tayuya and the second one a horizontal strike that had been meant to disembowel the spider-like foe. It failed, but Kidomaru collapsed backwards anyway.

Jiroubou was last and charged towards Sasuke like a rampaging hippopotamus, roaring like a stampeding elephant and growling like a pouncing lion. Sasuke's arm seemed to move of its own accord, stabbing the ninja-to into the giant teen's thick, round thigh. Blood spewed forth like a fountain, and for a second, Sasuke wondered if he had perhaps severed the femoral artery.

There was another roar and Kidomaru had leapt at him again, all six fists raised and prepared to pummel Sasuke into the ground. Ryûjin Jakka came to life in its wielder's palms, flames consuming the blade in a blaze of fiery glory. Sasuke made to end Kidomaru's life with his flaming sword when something unexpected happened.

Sasuke's Cursed Seal came to life at the last second, bringing with it a crippling pain that brought Sasuke to his knees and a cry of agony from his lips. Ryûjin Jakka's flames vanished into thin air and little black marks began to spread over the Uchiha's shoulder and neck. Kidomaru's fists struck true, sending Sasuke into the tree trunk with vicious ferocity.

Ryûjin Jakka became embedded in the wood as Sasuke curled up into a fetal ball, clutching at the skin of his neck and scratching the flesh surrounding the Cursed Mark raw. Kidomaru grinned at this and walked up to the boy, rearing his fists back. He threw punch after punch at the Uchiha, clobbering the teen with all his strength.

"You can't control it, can you?" he asked smugly, standing back to gaze at the small bruises he had inflicted. "You can't control your mark!"

He sent one more punch at the boy and tipped him on his side, grinning nastily, "Control of that mark is power, and power is what you want, right? Come with us, and we'll give you that power."

Cackling sadistically, Kidomaru picked up his comrades and disappeared into the calm stillness of the night, his laughter echoing through the air.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The night was dark, filling the air with a calm stillness that belied the true nature it held in its icy grasp. Mist crept along the ground like a sneaky thief, hiding those who wished to remain hidden and obscuring the ground like a blanket of thin silk. All was quiet and not a person moved amongst the deceptive stillness.

A shadow suddenly became visible through the heavy fog, gliding along like a specter searching for his next victim or a place to haunt. The mist moved away from the shadow, as if afraid of it or the might it may hold. Slowly, steadily, the identity of the phantom shade became known, and Uchiha Sasuke was its name.

Slung over his back was a pack full of clothes and such the like, as if he were going camping or on vacation. Were it not for the deep scowl planted firmly on his lips, like tent bolted into the soft ground, then it might have been misconstrued for an overnight stay at one of his friends' houses.

Anyone who knew Uchiha Sasuke, however, would also know that he wasn't one to go on camping trips with anyone or on vacation for any reason or even stay the night at his friend's house, like a normal child his age. In fact, anyone who knew Sasuke would tell you that he was downright unfriendly, and even cold and apathetic.

Sasuke frowned as he continued walking forwards, ignoring the chilling mist as it caressed his bare shins as intimately as a lover, water droplets clinging to his smooth legs. His face was damp, an invisible sheen of water and vapor masking his face and his bare forehead. He rubbed his brow nervously, feeling almost naked without his hitai-ate.

Itachi hadn't been home when Sasuke had decided to leave, which made it all that much easier to escape the ancestral home of the Uchiha. It would have been decidedly harder to run away if Itachi had been there to prevent him from going. Luckily, his elder brother was probably out on some mission or other.

"_Why, Nii-san? Why did you do this?"_

_Tears, hot and salty and pouring down his cheeks, black eyes wide with fear and anguish._

"_Foolish little brother…"_

_Blood; endless pools of blood stained the brown earth a sickly maroon. Mother and Father lying dead on the floor, crimson soaking into the wood and the mats._

_A tall teen, almost abnormally so considering his age of thirteen, walked into the light, his crimson eyes whirling and glaring dispassionately. Fear; uncontrollable fear flooded him in the face of certain death._

Sasuke shivered, rubbing his arms to warm himself in the cool night air. He continued walking, his footsteps silent and steady. His sandals made no sound as they clapped against the ground, his toes disappearing in the dense fog. He was like a phantom; a specter that did not exist and lacked the ability to make sound.

"_If you wish to kill me, then hate me, despise me, and live in an unsightly manner…"_

_Sharp gasps and killing intent, suffocating him and his lungs as he desperately tried to breathe. Blood painted the walls, the ceiling, the floor, even the ground was stained red. Crimson oozed from the small cracks between the wooden boards._

"_Run, run and cling to your pathetic life. Then, one day…"_

_Tomoe swirled together, forming a shuriken shape that spun slowly._

"…_when you have the same eyes as I do…come before me…"_

"Sasuke-kun," a voice called softly, reaching through the thick vapor blanket that should have shrouded him in anonymity. Sasuke froze, his body going rigid as he thought up maneuver after maneuver to ensure his escape. Each one was rejected; he _wouldn't_ hurt Sakura.

"Sakura," he turned to look at her, but she recoiled, as if frightened of his cold, emotionless eyes and his toneless voice, "what are you doing up this late?"

"I…" she stuttered, as if unsure of her words, "I came to see you. I thought…it's just…I thought you might need some company."

He almost arched an eyebrow; calmly responding, "Why's that?"

"Well," she glanced at her feet nervously, "things seem to be…changing, recently. Your…brother came back home. I thought…maybe you needed someone to talk to; someone to listen to you and pay attention to you."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"Is there…" Sakura started hesitantly, "…something wrong?"

"No," Sasuke replied after a moment, "nothing's wrong."

He turned away from her, forgetting that he had a backpack on his shoulders, "Everything's fine. Go home, get some rest."

There was a muffled sob from behind him and it took all his control not to turn around and address her tears, whether to quell them and comfort her or to simply watch as she fell apart in front of him, he didn't know. But the urge was there all the same and he had to clench his knee muscles tight to prevent from turning on his heel.

"Why, Sasuke-kun?" she cried, tears rolling over her delicate cheeks. "Why won't you say something to me?"

"I'm leaving, Sakura," he said after a pause, his voice soft. "I'm leaving so I can get stronger; strong enough to force the truth from Itachi. I need that strength, the strength to make my brother tell me the reason he killed our clan."

"The Curse Mark?" Sakura asked quietly, trying to stem the flow of her tears. She hiccupped, sniffling as she wiped the water from her eyes.

"Orochimaru gave it to me," Sasuke said simply, as though she hadn't known that. "He gave me that power. If I go to him, I can learn to control it and gain even more power. Power that can help me force the truth from Itachi."

"Is that all you care about, power?" she cried hysterically, her voice trembling with more pain than he'd ever thought possible. "Do I mean so little to you? Has all we've been through been for nothing? You're just going to throw everything we've ever accomplished away, just for some lousy truth that you're probably better off not knowing?

"Why can't you see it?" her knees buckled and she collapsed to the cobblestone beneath her, sobbing into her hands. Her voice was meek and desperate. "Why can't you see that I love you?"

A pair of warm arms swept her into a soft embrace, holding her against a muscled chest she'd been dreaming of for the better part of three years. She latched onto his shirt, sobbing into his shoulder, "I love you, Sasuke-kun. Please don't go."

The kiss was soft and tender and unexpected, but Sakura didn't care. All she cared about was the warmth pooling in her stomach and spreading outwards. Suddenly, all her pains were gone and all her tears dried. All that mattered was the soft pair of lips pressed against her own, massaging her fears and pains away.

"Goodbye, Sakura," she was starting to feel drowsy, even as his words were whispered into her ear. "And…Thank you."

'_Genjutsu?'_ Sakura thought absently. Then, her vision faded into black.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto had a bad feeling, not unlike the one he had when he had first met Kisame and Itachi in the inn while he and Jiraiya had looked for Tsunade. It was an acute sense of foreboding, and it usually warned him, quite accurately, of when something bad was about to happen or had happened.

Naruto glanced to his left; Shikamaru stood next to him, wearing his Chûnin vest overtop his normal attire and standing straight and alert. That was uncharacteristic of Shikamaru and proved that his danger senses were most likely correct in their detection of something wrong and of foul play. This whole thing had Orochimaru written all over it.

As if Shikamaru's uncharacteristic attentiveness wasn't alarming enough (and Shikamaru being serious was a sign of something horribly wrong), Tsunade was pacing back and forth behind her desk, constantly biting her lip and cursing something or other. Naruto could here enough swear words in there to make a prostitute blush.

Hyôrinmaru rattled in his sheath and that _really_ put Naruto on edge. Hyôrinmaru had never been nervous or overly cautious enough to echo such a sentiment as this feeling of wrongness. If Hyôrinmaru was nervous, then there was definitely something wrong. Naruto shifted uneasily.

As Tsunade continued to pace, Shikamaru looked over at Naruto and arched an eyebrow, as if to ask why he wasn't wearing his Chûnin flak jacket. Naruto shrugged, his eyes following the female Hokage as she walked back and forth, still cursing up a storm. Naruto didn't like the Chûnin flak jacket, so he chose not to wear it. That didn't make him any less of a Chûnin, after all.

Finally, the blond woman stopped her pacing and sighed, leaning forward and laying her palms flat on her clean desk. Her face was dark and serious and her amber eyes were as hard and sharp as tempered steel. When she spoke, it was quiet, but seemed to carry across the room quite easily, "At precisely Seven hundred hours this morning, we received word from Haruno Sakura about a certain situation."

She turned her gaze to Naruto, "It has come to our attention that, at approximately 00:45 hours last night…Uchiha Sasuke left Konoha."

Naruto and Shikamaru's eyes widened as the blond boy started, "But…why would he—?"

"We don't know," Tsunade said calmly. "Sakura-san was too hysterical to tell us anything else. She's at home right now crying into her pillow. As such, we are unsure if he left purely of his own free will…or if he was forced to leave. After all, it's very possible he was coerced into leaving."

"So you think he was threatened?" Naruto asked, eyes narrowing.

"It's a possibility," she responded.

"Sasuke's not the nicest guy around, but I doubt he'd leave willingly," Shikamaru spoke up. "He was probably threatened, and for someone to threaten Sasuke, they'd have to be pretty strong."

The Chûnin's eyes hardened, "If Naruto and I are going on this mission, Hokage-sama, which I believe is the reason you summoned us here, then I'd like to request a team of Jônin to come with us."

"I can't honor that request," Tsunade replied. "Right now, all of the Jônin are out on missions and won't be back for a while. Most Chûnin are in similar situations. I'm sorry, but the only thing I can do is allow you to take whatever strong Genin you might cross on the way out of the village. If you're lucky, you'll find three or four of them."

Shikamaru sighed, turning towards the door, "All right, we better get going, then. Come on, Naruto. Let's go."

"Naruto," Tsunade called out. Naruto paused, looking back at her. There was a gleam in her eye that he couldn't recognize. "In times of war, much like our current Cold War with the Sound, field promotions can occur if a ninja shows enough aptitude."

Naruto's eyes widened as she smirked and shooed him out the door. The heavy oak creaked shut with a loud bang.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

This mission was going to be a difficult one, Naruto could feel it in his bones. Sasuke had left the night before, and if he was being forced, then there was no doubt that there were other ninja to worry about. Sasuke and those unconfirmed ninja had an eight-hour head start. To catch up with them and stay on their trail, he needed to have those who could endure the long run. He needed the elite of the Genin.

Naruto looked over the people he had chosen for the retrieval team, mentally listing his reasons for choosing them. In order to avoid casualties and fatalities, he needed to be sure about the people he was choosing for this mission. To rescue Sasuke, he couldn't afford to take anyone that wasn't ready for intense combat.

Kiba was a certain necessity. As a member of the Inuzuka clan, his nose and sense of smell were unrivaled amongst the Genin. Were they to come across more ninja than they could handle one on one, then Kiba and Akamaru's tag-team method of fighting would prove invaluable. They needed Kiba's skills and senses in order to catch Sasuke and whatever ninja he was with.

Neji would have been Naruto's first choice from the Hyuga, but the prodigy had been training with Hiashi and, thus, was in no condition to join the team. Naruto would have brought Hinata along either way, but as it stood, it seemed she would have to be their eyes for this mission. She had some pretty good skill with a sword, but Neji's eyes were still better than hers.

Naruto would have like to take Lee, and if not Lee then Chouji, but Lee was still too weak from his surgery. It was likely that he wouldn't recover fully for another week or two, so Lee was definitely out. It was a shame, too. A taijutsu specialist would have been a most welcome addition. Chouji was Naruto's alternative to Lee and Shikamaru had even recommended him, but it turned out that Chouji was in the hospital for food poisoning.

Shikamaru had been assigned the mission, so Naruto hadn't needed to ask for him to join them, but he would have if it had come to it. Shikamaru was an amazing strategist, one with far more skill and wit than most of the people Naruto knew. His strategic ability would play a big part in how well this mission went.

The last person that had decided to join their crusade was the one that Naruto had expected the least, though it would perhaps be better to say he hadn't expected her to join at all. The team had run into Tenten on their way to the gates and she had been happy to join them. She was a bit too excited in Naruto's opinion.

Be that as it may, Tenten would definitely be an asset on this mission. She had an unprecedented skill with weapons, especially those of the thrown kind. As a primarily long range fighter, it was essential for her to be on the team, now that he thought about it. What if the enemy had a long range fighter? That would have spelled their doom.

"Right," Naruto said, nodding to himself as they all looked at him and waited for his orders. "You all know why you've been brought here. You all know what this mission is for and why we're on it. Sasuke ran away. We're going to bring him back."

He pulled out a scroll and unfurled it, digging into his kunai pouch for the pen he knew was there, grasping it and clicking the point out. He drew a diagram, "We'll form a single file line and line up in this manner. Kiba, you're first and you have point. You have the best nose in our group and know these forests better than any of us. It's also up to you to look for and warn us of traps and snares.

"Shikamaru, you're after Kiba. Behind Kiba and near the front of our group, you'll have one of the best viewpoints during our trek. You've also got your Kagemane no Jutsu, which will prove an invaluable asset. You're our thinker and our strategist, so it's up to you to come up with ideas for battle and such the like.

"I'm behind you, Shikamaru. I don't mean to brag…much…but I'm easily our strongest man. If anything happens that overwhelms us and leaves us in a bad position, one that we can't escape from, I want all of you to retreat and wait till I tell you it's safe. I intend to return from this mission without any fatalities or serious casualties.

"Hinata will be after me and will be the group's eyes. With her enhanced vision, she can easily see things that the rest of us would miss. She's got my back, so any long range or sniper attacks won't hit us or she can warn us before they do. Her eyes might not be as good as Neji's but they're essential to this squad. Beyond that, she's pretty good at medical stuff, too.

"Tenten is last and right behind Hinata. She's our sniper, our long range fighter. She's the assassin of our group and will primarily focus on surprise attacks should we be able to execute them. Should any of our enemies be a long range specialist, it will be your job to take them down."

He clicked the top of the pen and its ball point retracted into it, leaving the tip blunt and hollow. Naruto showed all of them the diagram, then rolled it up and handed each of them a kunai, "If we get separated, channel chakra into this kunai throw it. It'll act as a homing beacon for me and make it easier for us to regroup. If you're fighting an enemy, only throw it if you can't win. Got it?"

Everyone nodded to him, a grim look on each of their faces. Naruto leaned back, rolling his shoulders, then straightened, "Right then, the most important part is last. A couple of you don't actually know Sasuke, a few of you don't even like him. I'm not going to lie to you and say that we're on this mission to rescue a friend. We're not."

All of the gathered ninja, save Shikamaru, looked at him in alarm, but Naruto continued, "But Sasuke is a fellow shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, a comrade in arms, and we protect our own. Right now, he's headed for a very dangerous situation, one that few would ever come back from. It's our job to bring him home."

"Wow," Kiba grinned, chuckling, "it looks like you _do_ deserve that Chûnin title!"

"I may not like him that much," Shikamaru droned, shrugging lightly, "but it's the Leaf ninja way to take care of our own. Even _I_ can't screw around on this one."

"We'll succeed, Naruto-kun," Tenten said, ignoring the slight look Hinata gave her. "We can't lose."

Hinata smiled at him and made a soft hum as she nodded her head, assuring him that they would all try their hardest. Sasuke would be brought home. They would make sure of it. Smiling in return, Naruto spun around to face the large forest standing tall in front of him. In a blur, all five members of the retrieval team leapt into the foliage.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Three hours passed quickly for Naruto and his team as Kiba led them constantly onward, chasing down the four Sound shinobi who held Sasuke captive and carried him towards their village. Naruto was slowly becoming more and more anxious, though he hid the anxiety behind a mask of indifference. Orochimaru and his henchmen were not stupid enough to keep moving without setting traps.

Kiba paused a moment, sniffing at the air with a tentative nose. The other four team members stopped as well, waiting for the Inuzuka's assessment. Earlier on in the chase, Kiba had told them that the enemy was traveling strictly by land, which no doubt meant that they were not used to traveling through trees. That presented the retrieval team with a speed advantage.

If you traveled on the ground in a forest, you had to expend a great deal more energy in order to weave in and out of the trees, whereas those who jumped through the trees could move twice as fasts as those on the ground. That also meant that the retrieval team would be far more fresh and energetic than the enemy when the inevitable battle occurred.

"There was a fight nearby," Kiba told them calmly, the usual loud brusque gone. "Those Sound Ninja probably got into a skirmish with some Leaf ninja who were on their way back from a mission. No one died. Other than that, I can't tell any details about what happened."

"We're going to ignore it," Naruto said firmly. "The only other Leaf ninja out on missions are Chûnin and Jônin, so they can take care of themselves. We need keep going and rescue Sasuke. The longer we stall, the more shortcuts we take, that's all the more chance they have to cross the border into Sound territory. We'll lose them if that happens."

"Naruto-kun's right," Tenten said. "We don't need to involve ourselves with other teams. They're probably fine and our mission is still very important. We have to keep moving."

"Right," Kiba nodded, and the group was off again.

As the retrieval team continued to chase their enemy, it soon became clear that the Sound ninja were on guard from their previous skirmish. There were several instances when Hinata's Byakugan had barely caught them before they triggered a trap. Twice they had nearly fallen victim to a series of explosive notes set to trigger a perimeter mine. Three times, they had barely stopped before getting caught in dangerous wire traps.

Finally, however, as the sun reached its noon zenith, they had caught up with the enemy. Hinata's Byakugan caught sight of the four Sound ninja as they rested, minimal traps set up around them to keep them safe or warn them of enemy presence. Sitting in the center of the group was a large, sealed barrel that couldn't be holding anything but Sasuke.

As the retrieval team slowly crept closer, Naruto told them their roles in this confrontation. He would go first and take them by surprise while Hinata stabbed one through the spine with her sword. Tenten was to assassinate the gray-haired one while Shikamaru trapped the girl for information.

Just as they were about to move, however, a cocky voice called out, "Well, well, look what we have here. A couple of insects caught in a spider's web."

A web-like substance shot through the foliage, aimed to pin all five members to the tree they were crouched in. Naruto swore as the team broke apart, flinging his hand at the odd substance, "Sôkatsui!"

A thick ball of blue flames crashed into the sticky web, disintegrating it as it dried out and turned to dust. With a growl, Naruto forwent the plan and motioned for his team to attack outright. In a blur, all five members of the retrieval team leapt into the clearing, prepared to face off against the Sound Four.

The two teams glared at one another, fire burning in each of their eyes with an intensity to match the sun (or, in Naruto's case, an intensity to match the frozen sea). The enemy ninja all had something weird about them, Naruto decided. One had two heads, one had orange hair (orange!), one had six arms, and the other had reddish pink hair.

Finally, the orange haired one, who was doubtlessly the biggest and tallest person of the entire group, smirked and spoke to his team, "You guys go ahead. I'll handle these little punks."

Naruto smirked in return, reaching up and grasping Hyôrinmaru's azure hilt with his right hand, "Do you really think you by yourself can beat me, let alone all five of us?"

"All right, Jiroubou," the gray-haired one said, "you can have these guys. Make sure to catch up with us after you feed."

The fat one, identified as Jiroubou, merely nodded, slowly going through hand seals. Naruto scowled darkly and tightened his grip on the smooth cloth covered wood grasped between his fingers. He started to pull it loose when Kiba interrupted him.

"Wait, Naruto," Kiba halted him, "you guys go on ahead. I'll take care of this big guy, okay?"

As Jiroubou made to make another seal, Naruto's right hand shot out and grabbed his in mid-motion, stopping him cold. He turned to Kiba as Tenten, Shikamaru, and Hinata moved to follow the others, ignoring the squirming Sound ninja he had a firm hold of, "All right, Kiba. He's all yours. But I expect you to catch up with us, got it?"

"Heh!" Kiba scoffed. "You give me too little credit, Naruto!"

Naruto smirked teasingly, then leapt after the rest of the retrieval team as they continued to follow the Sound Four. As he reached the edge of the clearing, however, he paused and turned his head around to look at Kiba, the small smirk still present on his lips as he said, "That's Naruto-_taichô_ to you, Kiba."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Jiroubou's late," Sakon commented lightly, not really concerned with his teammate's unusually tardiness. It wasn't much to worry about unless he had been defeated by the team Konoha had sent to track them down.

"We don't really have anything to worry about," Kidomaru said cockily. "Those Genin Konoha sent to follow us don't really seem all that tough. They couldn't touch us during the invasion, what would make them able to defeat us now?"

"Don't get too confident, you stupid bastard," Tayuya swore at him. "They obviously have _some_ skill if the Leaf Village sent them after us! And did you forget? Orochimaru-sama put that blond shit in the Bingo books as Rank-A!"

"But he's the only one we have to worry about, isn't he?" Kidomaru shot back. "The rest of them are weak-ass punks who couldn't hurt a fly! Together, it should be pretty easy to take them down! Besides, Jiroubou was the weakest of us anyway."

"Well, we don't need to worry anymore. He's here," Sakon said. Sure enough, Jiroubou's heavy body landed at the far end of the clearing, unscathed and clearly victorious. Sakon scowled, "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, sorry," Jiroubou said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Those guys were stronger than I thought they'd be."

"Damn fat-ass," Tayuya muttered, the raised her voice. "Well, don't just stand there, you stupid bastard! Pick up the barrel!"

"Alright, alright," Jiroubou sighed, bending down to pick up the barrel.

The other three ninja glanced at each other, throwing a suspicious glare at the large shinobi. Jiroubou never failed to reprimand Tayuya on swearing, especially when it was directed at himself. Since Jiroubou hadn't corrected her, that could only mean…

"Hey, Jiroubou," Sakon's oily voice called, "you're so obedient today…"

"What do you mean?" Jiroubou asked confusedly.

"I mean," Sakon replied, throwing a kunai at his supposed comrade. The large boy dodged out of the way, alarmed, "that you're not Jiroubou!"

The large teen scowled, then shifted into the pony-tailed Chûnin from the Konoha team, his eyes narrowed and his lips drawn into a tight frown, "So, you got me. What ever shall I do?"

"Reign Over the Frozen Heavens!" a voice called as the sky darkened, black clouds blocking out the sun. "Hyôrinmaru!"

A fierce dragon of water, easily three times the size of a normal Suiryûdan, rushed through the trees, passing just overtop of Shikamaru's head and aiming for the three Sound ninja. Cursing, the three of them leapt out of its path, but Kidomaru wasn't quite fast enough to escape the torrent of water as the beast splashed off of the ground. It soaked into his shirt and four of his arms, instantly freezing and weighing him down. He barely managed to right himself and land on his feet, swaying as the ice threatened to pull him to the ground.

Naruto walked out of the trees, the rest of the team following behind him. Cursing their luck, Sakon and Tayuya grabbed the barrel and raced off into the foliage, leaving a slightly uneasy Kidomaru to fight off the rest of the retrieval team. Kidomaru smirked, flashing through hand seals, "That's alright! I can take down all four of you with only two arms!"

Naruto made a move to take him on, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Tenten smiled, jerking her head towards the trees. Naruto nodded, and was about to leave again when Tenten pulled on his arm, spinning him around until he was facing her. Surprised, Naruto could do nothing as Tenten leaned forward and kissed him.

Her lips were warm and soft, but had a certain edge to them that Hinata's did not. If he had to describe the difference between kissing the two girls, he would describe it as two different worlds. Hinata's kisses were soft and tender and held all the regality and passion of a princess who loved a prince. Tenten's kiss was more possessive and passionate, like a tigress claiming her mate.

Then, to Naruto's slight disappointment, it was over and Tenten leaned back, flustered and blushing. Naruto's cheeks burned as well and he could see something sparkle in Tenten's eyes, something that he had only seen in Hinata's eyes before. He opened his mouth to talk, but she shook her head and whispered, "Go."

Confused, but suddenly feeling much calmer and more confident than before, he turned and followed Hinata and Shikamaru into the trees. He would talk to her later and determine what had happened in that moment. For the time being, he had a job to do, a mission to complete, and nothing was going to stop him from completing it.

Tenten allowed a small smile to grace her lips. At least, if she died in this fight, she had gotten a kiss out of him. Even if she could never have anything more than that single kiss, that one action would leave her content for as long as she let it. She squared her shoulders and drew a kunai, then turned to face her opponent.

"Come on, now, little Kunoichi," the dark-skinned, six-armed shinobi taunted, "let's play a little game!"

She scowled at him and tightened her grip on her kunai; Naruto was counting on her to defeat this freaky boy, and to do so without dying. Even if he hadn't directly said so, she knew that it was so. He was the kind of person who cared about everyone except his enemies. She smiled sadly. That was one of the things she loved about him, one of the reasons she wished she were in Hinata's shoes. For now, though, she could settle for being a reliable comrade. She would defeat this bastard.

"Heh, heh!" Kidomaru laughed, going through hand seals. "You won't last three minutes!"

Even if she died, she wouldn't lose.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Huff, huff," Sakon panted as he looked back, glaring at his enemies. The Leaf Ninja team was shrinking as more and more of its members stayed behind to fight, but so was his own team. Things looked grim; at the rate things were progressing, the Konoha team would outlast them.

He swore loudly, "Damn!"

He landed solidly on a tree branch, his movements halting as he tossed the large, cylindrical coffin towards Tayuya, who caught it deftly and with ease. He tensed as he turned around, shouting to the girl behind him, "Take the target to Orochimaru-sama! I'm going to put a stop to this nonsense once and for all!"

Tayuya nodded obediently, "Don't die, you stupid bastard."

Wordlessly, she leapt onward, the large barrel containing Uchiha Sasuke tucked safely in her arms. She might not like Sakon and the rest of their team, but even she wasn't a fool. If the rest of the team died, she'd be all alone against some odds that she rather didn't like. Even one of the elite Sound Four didn't stand a chance five-on-one.

The pony-tailed Chûnin wasn't that big of a concern for her. He looked to be the softest of the group, more the brainy type than the muscle of the team. He was pretty smart, but she could probably annihilate him if she went all out. He seemed more like the strategist that the combat specialist. Luckily for her, she could do both.

It was the blond boy that worried her, not anyone else. Even if it only lasted a second or two, he had managed to tear a hole in their barrier during the Chûnin Exams the month or so previous. Not only that, but he was rated in the Otogakure Bingo books as a Rank-A ninja nearly on par with the legendary Hatake Kakashi. And _Orochimaru_ had been the one to put him there.

Kimimaro was probably the only one besides Kabuto and Orochimaru himself who could match up against the blonde and have any chance of victory. They were simply the only people in Otogakure who had the skills and power to fight that monstrous little kid and even Kimimaro and Kabuto still didn't have a sure victory.

She shivered. After all, when that dragon had been called on earlier, it had been _so_ powerful that it even affected the _weather_. Something with that degree of elemental control was obviously far stronger than any jutsu she could use. She had just_ barely_ escaped from it the first time. There wasn't a guarantee she'd escape a second time.

She glanced back and then redoubled her pace, her legs screaming in agony as she forced them to keep working. Behind her were Naruto and Shikamaru, following at a pace that would easily outlast her own. If she didn't get a move on, if she didn't either cross the border or run into some form of help, she was _dead_.

Left to fight the second girl on the team, Sakon grimaced as the two remaining boys sped past him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop them. He only hoped that, should this girl prove to be his better, she would end his life quickly and painlessly and not cripple him or leave him alive. Orochimaru would kill them if they returned empty handed.

Considering how obsessed Orochimaru was with the Uchiha boy, failure was not an option. He needed to either defeat the girl that stood there and glared at him defiantly or die in the attempt, hopefully swiftly and painlessly. He was hoping for the latter, though he would fight his hardest, because he knew that the blonde powerhouse harbored some feelings for her. And Orochimaru wouldn't tolerate the continued living of the Sound Four if they failed this mission.

He'd kill all four of them, that's precisely what he'd do. He wouldn't kill them quickly, either. He would drag it out for as long as he could, watch as they squirmed and begged for release, then have Kabuto heal them up again only to torture them to death's door once more. That was the Snake Sennin's style. If you were such a failure and at the same time extremely lucky, then he'd kill you on the spot.

"Well," Sakon drawled calmly, a smirk curling on his lips. He would fight to the end, "let's get this show on the road, eh?"

Hinata merely drew her sword, brandishing it in front of her body as she called out, "Hajike, Tobiume."

o.0.O.O.0.o —

Tenten panted, her back pressed up against the large trunk of a tall, thick tree as she waited for her opponent to make his next move. Her chest heaved and her breasts bounced as she sucked in air as if it were becoming scarce, her eyes flickering around her. Somehow, he had managed to break free of the ice that had encircled his arms and was currently using his limb advantage effectively.

She had tried to take him out quickly in the beginning so that she could go on and help the others, but her efforts had been for not. Shortly after freeing himself of the ice, Kidomaru had disappeared into the foliage and started using sniper tactics to try to kill her. He too had been mostly unsuccessful and she only had a few scratches.

"Heh, heh, you're better than I gave you credit for," Kidomaru chuckled darkly, his voice echoing over the small clearing Tenten stood in. "You've lasted ten minutes fifty-two seconds so far and, despite my best efforts, are, for the most part, unwounded."

There was a metallic ping as Tenten deflected a few of the six-armed ninja's custom kunai knives with some of her own shuriken. The four shuriken became embedded in several trees, while the five golden kunai sank into the ground with a soft thump, rendered useless by the girl's skill.

That was how the majority of the battle had been going. Every time Kidomaru threw kunai at her, she would deflect it with one of her own weapons. Every time Kidomaru shot his strange webbing at her, she would slice it to bits with her skillful weapons throws. Since her back was to such a thick and ancient tree, the majority of his attacks were within her range of sight.

Neither of them could get an attack in on the other and neither could make any dangerous or deadly, or even debilitating, blows on their opponent. In fact, were it not for how tired Tenten was and how much energy she had to expend to defend herself, the battle would be an obvious and indecisive stalemate.

If she were to be blunt with herself, though, Tenten knew she had no hope of winning. Her enemy was a highly skilled ninja with far more field experience than her and a great deal more stamina. She couldn't even tell where her opponent was and yet he could see her clearly enough to aim with deadly accuracy.

"I need help," Tenten whispered, not really expecting someone to answer. "Please, I need help!"

"_Foolish little girl,"_ a voice answered her, strong and feminine, _"you have needed help for far too long, yet you wait till now to admit it?"_

In an instant, the forest around Tenten melted away into a beautiful blue sky with the sun shining on her neck and a delicate breeze wafting against her skin, warm and soothing on her cuts and gashes. She felt a smile curl her lips and let out a soft sigh, relaxing in the gentle atmosphere around her.

Until she looked down, that is, and found that she was standing not on land and grass, or even sand, but on a cloud that hovered over a giant ocean that stretched as far as she could see. She let out a terrified shriek and waited to fall plummeting into the icy water below her, but nothing happened. She was still standing on the cloud.

"Did you really think you would fall in this place?" the voice from before asked.

Tenten whirled around, coming face to face with a black, serpentine dragon with vibrant pink eyes. The dragon swirled around her, coiling its large body around Tenten's own body and leaning back once it was eye level with her, "You are in command of this place. It is shaped purely by your soul, and so long as your soul is stable, you can stand on the clouds and fly through the air."

"Who," Tenten stammered nervously, her voice quiet, "who are you?"

"I am your fighting spirit given physical form," the dragon said, talking even though its lips and mouth remained motionless. "I am your power, your unique ability, and I shall always be a part of you, no matter what. I am Sôunga, the Dragon of the Wind, and I am at your service. Whatever you desire, I shall do my best to grant it."

"How," Tenten started, unsure to ask her question, "how do I…?"

"As long as you can hear my name, you shall know," Sôunga answered cryptically. "Now, it is time…"

"…to die!" Kidomaru's voice called loudly, snapping Tenten's eyes open (who wasn't even aware that she'd closed them).

With a diagonal flick of her wrist, Tenten swung the sword gripped in her right hand, words tumbling out of her mouth that she would never forget, "Ama ni Jôshôshiro, Sôunga!" (Ascend into Heaven, Frost Cloud Fang)

A thick blade of wind, nearly a third as tall as the trees around her, leapt from the arc her swing had made at an amazing speed and sliced clean through Kidomaru's arrow, then through the trees in front of her, and, finally, based on the agonized cry she heard, it cut through Kidomaru as well.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Tenten grinned and looked down at her new sword. The curve of the katana was delicate and majestic and the polished steel was clean and firm. The hand guard was a simple circle made of pure gold and the hilt was simple black wood with three flat golden studs to hold the blade in place and no cloth. At the bottom, where the cap would normally be, was a three-toed dragon's claw that held a beautiful amethyst gem.

Tenten's grin widened into a smile, "Beautiful, Sôunga."

In a blur, Tenten leapt off towards her friends.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto's lips curled into a frown as he walked over the smooth but hard stone beneath his feet, his blue eyes bright with determination and excitement. He recognized the scenery from a history book he had read once about the Hokage, from the Shodai all the way to the Yondaime. This was the Valley of the End, where the Shodai Hokage had battled and beaten Uchiha Madara.

For a moment, Naruto worried about the comrades he had left behind on this mission just so he could get this far. He hoped that all of them made it out of this tragedy alive, especially Lee, who was fighting Kimimaro, and Shikamaru, who was taking on Tayuya. He wasn't too worried about Hinata and Tenten. They could take care of themselves well enough to survive their opponents.

Naruto looked up and thought, for a moment, about the irony of the situation. They were at the Valley of the End, where a Hokage had fought an Uchiha. Now, he stood atop the Shodai's head and was the son of a Hokage, and Sasuke stood atop Madara's head and was a scion of the mighty Uchiha clan. He had to fight down a hollow laugh at how ironic that seemed.

Taking a few more steps forward, Naruto gathered air into his lungs and yelled, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke didn't move for a moment, then slowly turned around, locking his cool, coal black eyes onto Naruto's dark clad form. His gaze was dispassionate, and held none of the usual fire that made him Naruto's rival, "Naruto."

Sasuke turned back around, "Go back home, Naruto."

"I'm not leaving this place without you, Sasuke," Naruto said coldly, determination in his voice. "You're coming back even if I have to drag you there myself!"

"I'm leaving," Sasuke said firmly, his tone icy. "I'm leaving to get more power! Power enough to force the truth from Itachi! Power enough that he doesn't have to lie anymore!"

"Lies? Itachi?" Naruto asked confusedly. "Sasuke, did he—?"

"No!" Sasuke shouted angrily, eyes bleeding into red. "I don't care what he told you! It's all lies! There's no way the Uchiha clan would do something like that! No way my father would do something so horrible! No way—!"

His voice softened and he suddenly sounded like a scared child, "No way my mother could do something like that."

He flung a kunai at Naruto, shouting, "The Uchiha clan was honorable! There's no possible reason why they would plan to revolt! I've had enough of Itachi's lies!"

Naruto deflected the kunai with his sword, his lips curling into a scowl as he leapt onto the edge of the waterfall, dashing across it and towards Sasuke, knowing that he could not reason with his friend. Sasuke leapt off Madara's statue, mirroring Naruto's movements as he drew his own blade from its sheath.

They clashed at the dead center of the waterfall, sparks flying off their swords and the blades wobbling and twitching as the two of them fought for dominance. Sasuke's ninja-to was shorter than Naruto's katana, but its size didn't make it any weaker. It held its ground against the larger sword and didn't bend or chip.

Sasuke smirked, eyes glinting dangerously, "You know, Naruto, we never did get to have our match."

Naruto's eyes widened, then an excited grin crept over his lips as he said, "You're right."

His grin widened as he brought his left hand up and started doing hand seals, repeating Haku's words, "But now I have two advantages…"

Sasuke's eyes went wide as Naruto continued, "The first is that I've occupied your hand, thus preventing you from using jutsu…The second…"

"…is the water around us," Sasuke finished, looking around himself as needles of water formed a small cage around him. He swore loudly, already thinking of his escape.

"Sensatsu Suishou!" Naruto cried, the needles converging on the spot Sasuke had occupied a moment before. Naruto allowed his grin to widen as Sasuke landed lightly a few meters away, standing atop the water. Naruto could make out the shadow of a grin on his face and couldn't help the excitement that flooded him.

Naruto dashed forward, already flipping through more hand seals as Sasuke backed up, doing seals of his own. The water around him churned as Sasuke took a deep breath, his mouth shut tightly. Simultaneously, the unleashed the full power of their attacks. Naruto called out, "Suiton: Suiryûdan no Jutsu!"

A dragon of water twisted its way out of the river, swirling and twisting as its form continued to solidify into a giant beast made completely of the abundant liquid. It bared fangs made of water as its unnatural yellow eyes glowed amongst the blue. With a silent but monstrous roar, it gushed forth.

"Katon: Karyuu Endan no Jutsu!"

As his lungs burned and the chakra within them quickly became fire, Sasuke put his fingers to his lips and blew out as hard as he could. A mass of fire leapt from past his lips, scorching the air in front of him as it rushed forward, engulfing the air in the smell of flames. It sizzled as it collided with Naruto's giant beast of water, turning the great dragon into steam as the water put out the rest of the flame.

Sasuke felt a grin tug at his lips and couldn't help but notice just how much _fun_ it was to have such a challenge as the boy in front of him. No one had pushed him to his limits in such a way before, not even Itachi. Now, after knowing that they stood on nearly equal ground for almost two months, they would truly see which of them was better.

Naruto was in front of Sasuke again, swinging his sword down with one hand. Sasuke matched his attack with a horizontal slash at eye level, drawing their blades into another inverted tug-o-war. Both swords jiggled as they each tried to get the upper hand, to beat their opponent in a contest of brute strength.

Pulling away, both struck a second time, Naruto upwards diagonally and Sasuke diagonally downwards. Another direct clash occurred, but both knew by now that neither outclassed the other in pure strength, so they pulled away again, then swung in the direction opposite of their previous strike.

They clashed several more times, each blow more thunderous and quicker than the last, before they both admitted that their skill with a blade was about equal. That automatically meant they were about equal in speed, but neither would except that as the truth without direct proof. Naruto thought he had the upper hand in speed.

He disappeared with almost no noise and reappeared behind Sasuke, sword poised to strike. From behind, he missed the small smirk on Sasuke's face before the Uchiha vanished as well, solidifying once more behind Naruto, his sword in mid-stab. Twisting around, Naruto held Hyôrinmaru above his head until it was parallel with his ears, watching Sasuke's sword grind against the blade.

Naruto arched an eyebrow, "Shunpô?"

Sasuke's eyebrow arched as well, "Could it be anything else?"

Jumping back from one another, Sasuke went through a familiar set of hand seals while Naruto prepared his defense. As Sasuke called out the name of his offensive technique, a skill that Naruto not only knew but had in his own arsenal, Naruto called out the name of his defensive jutsu.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Sasuke inhaled sharply, the air in his lungs converting itself into fire chakra, then put his fingers to his lips and blew out as hard as he could. A large ball of fire, easily three times as big as the one he had used on Kakashi months ago during the bell test, barreled forward toward the seemingly defenseless blond. Sasuke knew better.

"Suiton: Suijinheki!"

A large, three meter tall wall of thick water rose up, encircling Naruto from all around. As the fireball slowly sputtered and died against his unnecessarily strong defense, Naruto was already going through more hand seals and planning an offensive move Itachi had taught him during the return trip from Yuki no Kuni.

As the wall of water collapsed, Naruto called out the name of his attack, "Suiton: Suigadan no Jutsu!"

Four, drill-like fangs of water launched themselves at Sasuke from all sides, quickly closing in on him. Four Shuriken leapt to him from Naruto's hands. Sasuke scoffed as he realized that he only had one option if he wanted to prevent Naruto from driving him into a corner. With a flick of his wrist, the four water fangs evaporated into steam and the shuriken fell into the river as melted slag.

Sasuke held his flaming blade up, smirking, "How about we up the ante?"

Naruto grinned, "Thought you'd never ask."

Jumping backward, Naruto swung his sword and called out its name, "Hyôrinmaru!"

A giant dragon bigger than any Sasuke had ever seen from any technique launched itself towards him, intent on pushing him down beneath the water. Sasuke leapt out of the way, watching as it crashed into the water and rumbled the cliff with its force. Then, seconds later, the water began to freeze all along the river until only a small space in front of the Shodai's statue remained liquid.

Sasuke chuckled darkly, then threw his head back and laughed. This was a challenge. Even his could not match that raw power with just his sword and his will. Orochimaru may have been able to, but he was far above Sasuke's level. And if Sasuke couldn't defeat Naruto under his own power…he just needed to use someone else's.

He dropped his guard and watched the look of disgust cross Naruto's face as the Cursed Mark flooded him with power, drawing small black blemishes across his pale skin. He knew, though, that even level one would not be a match for Naruto. No, he needed much more power. Soon, he could feel the might of level two tingle over his skin.

There was a ripping sound as Sasuke's shirt tore and two misshapen wings sprouted from his back. His skin became dark and a black cross stretched over his nose like and ugly scar. His sclera turned black but his Sharingan remained its malevolent red. Finally, his hair lengthened to match the statue beneath his feet and became bleach white.

He brandished his flaming sword, an excited grin on his face. Naruto only seemed disappointed, not at his power or his strength, but at Sasuke himself, as though the Uchiha had lowered himself to a level Naruto had thought him above. Then, Naruto said that one word, the one word that Sasuke had forgotten all about, "Bankai."

The transformation occurred just as Sasuke remembered it would — the wings, the tail, the gauntlets, the greaves, even the flowers and the sky darkening. Whatever part of the river had remained unfrozen was now frozen, and even the Shodai's statue was blanketed in the never-ending plain of ice.

The attack came before he could catch it, at speeds he could only dream of at his current level, and then he barely managed to raise his sword in time. Naruto's eyes were frigid — colder than Sasuke had ever seen them — and he suddenly understood why Naruto had been promoted and apprenticed to Jiraiya for a while.

The kick was even faster and knocked Sasuke right into Madara's statue, breaking the thick layer of ice that had crept over it. Even with the Level Two Cursed Mark, Sasuke felt weak and powerless. There was a heavy pressure in the air, one that he'd never felt before, and it made it hard for him to breathe.

Slowly, like an infant crawling desperately towards his parents during a thunderstorm, Sasuke stood again. It felt like ages had passed instead of a few short minutes and he stumbled once or twice before flapping his awkward wings and flying until he was level with Naruto. The blonde seemed unsurprised and merely raised his sword.

Sasuke brandished his sword as well, trying to recompose himself and lose after having fought his hardest. He waited for his blond opponent to rush him, but the boy merely stood there, floating in midair, his sword pointing towards Sasuke. Finally, however, he spoke, but his words were of no comfort to the Uchiha, "Sennen Hyôrô."

Before he could do anything, several pillars of ice rose up around him like a cage, trapping him within their grasp. Looking up, Sasuke knew he'd never make it in time to escape from his opponent's attack and accepted his defeat. He sheathed his sword and bowed his head, then waited for the inevitable.

As soon as Naruto twisted his sword, the pillars rushed in and converged upon Sasuke, trapping him in an inescapable cage of unnatural ice. There were no screams, no sounds of pain, and no feel of death. The blond slowly hovered forward, raised his sword, then slashed into the thick cage.

It shattered into thousands of tiny pieces as Sasuke was thrown backwards, his skin its normal pale color and his sclera their normal white. He cried out in pain as he collided with the rock of Madara's feet, hitting so hard that the cliff caved slightly and conformed to his body, holding him to the rock wall firmly.

Naruto gently floated down, his icy additions evaporating as he slowly landed on the water, walking across it as though it were dry land. Sasuke's heaving breathes were heavy and pain filled, but Naruto couldn't figure out why. He hadn't hit Sasuke _that_ hard, had he? It hadn't been his intention to wound Sasuke, merely defeat him with an overwhelming display of power.

As Naruto drew closer, however, there was a flash of light behind him and he spun around gripping his sword and scowling. He kept his surprise in check as a pair of shoji doors opened in midair, only to reveal another pair of similar doors that opened as well, revealing a traditional Japanese dwelling. A black butterfly fluttered out, followed by a tall old man who was hunched over, had a head that was shaved bald and covered with scars, and a beard that reached his knees and was bound by black cord.

The old man opened his eyes and Naruto suddenly found it impossible to stand and very difficult to breathe. He gasped as he fell to his knees, shivering and clutching at his throat and chest. He felt terror unlike any he had ever imagined, as if there was a god holding a knife to his throat, poised to slit it at any second.

There were two deep growls that Naruto heard, one that he recognized as Hyôrinmaru (who he could also tell was coiled around him protectively and snarling at the old man) and one that could only be the Fox. Despite their efforts, however, Naruto could not shake off the elderly man's dark intent.

"Yam—Yamamoto-sama," Sasuke's voice gasped, and the old man's eyes left Naruto. He could breathe again as the aged warrior turned his gaze to Sasuke.

Slowly, deliberately, the man identified as Yamamoto walked toward Sasuke, his eyes stern and harsh. Still, Sasuke didn't seem to be suffering as Naruto had, so the blonde boy figured that Yamamoto's stern glare was nothing more than that. After a moment, he spoke up, "When you called out to me asking for help, for a way to clinch victory and ascend to greatness with justice as your cause, I answered your plea."

Sasuke seemed to know where this was going, "Ya-Yamamoto-sama…!"

"I gave you the power you sought, let you borrow my power, until you were strong enough to awaken your own," Yamamoto continued, his voice calm but still just as stern. "The time has come for you to search within yourself and find your true power, just as your friend over there found his, and…"

Yamamoto reached down and pulled Sasuke's sword from its sheath. Naruto watched with wide eyes as the ninja-to slowly morphed into a full-length katana with a black scabbard. A brown substance wrapped over it, transforming into a gnarled cane. Yamamoto continued, "…it is time I reclaimed my own sword."

Without another word, Yamamoto turned around and slowly walked back toward the gateway made of shoji doors. He paused, and turned back to Naruto, "Your father, boy, he would be very proud of you."

Naruto's eyes widened for a second, then he glanced at Sasuke for a second, "But…why…?"

Yamamoto had turned back towards the doors and, besides the fact that he hadn't walked into them yet, there seemed to be no indication that he would answer the blond. Finally, after a long pause and a thick silence, he said quietly, "It was such a small seed…I wanted to see it grow."

Then, in a flash of light, Yamamoto disappeared from the world and Sasuke suddenly sobbed. Alarmed, Naruto turned around and walked toward the Uchiha, who pounded his fist against the thick rock. Naruto asked, "What's wrong?"

"I've been such a fool!" Sasuke suddenly cried, tears pouring down his cheeks. "I-I…H-he was crying, that night…I ig-ignored that in favor of my own hatred! H-He was crying because he had to choose between the clan and the village!"

Sasuke sobbed again, "And he chose the village!"

The unspoken, _"Just like I should've,"_ hung in the air, but Naruto didn't voice it and neither did Sasuke. Lifting his head, tears streaming down his cheeks, Sasuke's next words were nearly begging, "Please, Naruto, take me home!"

Smiling sadly, Naruto hefted Sasuke onto his shoulders and steadily walked over to the bank of the small lake. He almost slipped and fell in a few times, after all, walking on water with someone slung over your shoulders isn't the same as doing it on land.

As soon as Naruto's foot touched dry earth, the sky opened up, and down came the rain.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto gently closed the door behind him, unaware that it didn't shut fully, as it should have. His hair was soaked and clung to his head and the sides of his face, but still managed to stay messy and untamed. His clothes were dry, merely because Tsunade had forbidden him to come into her office with wet clothes.

Sasuke was resting in the hospital, asleep and no doubt recovering from the whole ordeal. There was a group of ANBU, a full squad if he remembered correctly, guarding him to prevent another catastrophe from happening. Jiraiya was supposed to seal up the Cursed Mark as soon as he got back in.

For the most part, the retrieval team had returned without any significant injury. Kiba had come in with a few broken bones and Shikamaru had walked in with a broken finger, but other than that, the worst injuries were minor scratches. The thing that had thrown Naruto for a loop was the enemy they had managed to capture.

According to what he had been told, Tenten, Lee, and Gaara (who had greeted Naruto and was given a warm hug in return) had fought and defeated Kimimaro. Somehow, they had also managed to bring him back alive, though he was quickly dying. After some major elective surgery, he had been cured and was recovering in a hospital bed. ANBU were on constant watch with him, too.

Aside from that, the mission had gone pretty much as it was supposed to. Sasuke had been brought back, the enemy ninja who had kidnapped him or threatened him, namely, Sakon, Ukon, Tayuya, Kidomaru, and Jiroubou, were dead, and everyone had come back alive and mostly unharmed. It had been marked down as a success in their records.

One of the biggest surprises Naruto had gotten on the mission, beyond meeting Yamamoto and the events therein, was meeting Kakashi on the way back home. His sensei had been relieved to find that he and Sasuke were fine and mostly unharmed, though he was slightly wary of the empty sheath on Sasuke's back.

Kakashi had asked some uncomfortable question, such as how Naruto had found out about his heritage and whether or not it was true. Naruto had been put on the spot and could do nothing more or less than tell the truth, the _entire_ truth, to Kakashi. That made Kakashi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Naruto, and Sasuke as the only people who knew what Itachi had done.

Itachi, surprisingly, had met them at the gates and told them the good news about the rest of the team. Kiba was the most severely injured of the entire group, and all he had was a broken right arm, a dislocated shoulder, and a few fractures in his left hand. Shikamaru was the next worse of with a single broken finger and a bruised ego. Naruto had, of course, joked about how Shikamaru always had to fight girls.

Naruto had barely stepped foot outside the hospital, though, when, like a predator pouncing on his prey, an ANBU had informed him that Tsunade wanted his oral report immediately. When Naruto had huffed and complained about the abruptness of the demand, the ANBU had cryptically said that the report wasn't the only reason Naruto was being summoned.

And, as he walked into the Hokage's office, he knew that the ANBU hadn't been lying. Tsunade never had that look on her face unless she was dealing with something really serious and would rather not have to. He saluted her, grinning cheekily as she waved his gesture off with a sigh and a flick of her wrist. He stood at ease and waited for her to start.

"Before you give me your report," Tsunade said, sounding grave. The door squeaked but neither paid it any attention, "I have something I need to discuss with you."

Naruto did not like that tone, even though she continued, "You are aware, aren't you, that matters of family fall primarily into the Council's hands and not the Hokage, right? That they can make decisions about clan matters that do not infringe upon that clan's basic rights?"

"Yes, I'm aware," Naruto said hesitantly. "Jii-san made sure I knew about that stuff so that they and everybody else couldn't take advantage of me and my ignorance. Why?"

"Well," Tsunade sighed again, "the council, in its _infinite wisdom_, has decided that the Namikaze clan would take too long to 'rebuild'," somehow, Naruto knew that the Namikaze clan hadn't been very big to begin with, "if they followed the usual laws of monogamous marriage."

Uh-oh. Naruto _really_ didn't like where this conversation was going. Apparently, Tsunade could tell, so she reassured him, "It's all your choice, however, and you don't have to choose now, but they would like to know by the time you turn sixteen. Anyway, they've ruled that you can have up to four wives of your choosing. Sasuke and Itachi are in similar boats, and can marry up to three."

Knees weak, Naruto fell back into the chair sitting behind him, the thud of his weight on the cushions blocking out the gasps of surprise from behind the door. Up to four wives? And it was all his choice? A small, rational part of Naruto knew that not only was this most men's dream, it was also something Jiraiya would kill for.

But him? Multiple wives? Never. He would never marry anyone but Hinata, and there was no reason why he would even consider marrying two or three other women as well. There wasn't a single thing that would change his mind. He wouldn't answer yes to the proposal no matter what. Unless…

Unless…they all loved him for who he was. But could he really do that to Hinata? Force her to share when any other man would never have to ask that of her? He wanted a family, in fact, he desperately desired to have a large family that he could love and cherish for the rest of his life. If he married more than one girl, he could have that. But would he really force Hinata to share?

No. He wouldn't ask her to share, at least not directly. He wouldn't even think of forcing her to share, either. He'd talk to her, ask her what she thought of this decision the council had made, and, depending on her response, that's what his answer would be. Hinata was his partner just as much as she was the love of his life. If it didn't bother her, he might say yes to this proposal.

"Listen, Naruto," Tsunade said quietly, "I know this is a big bombshell to drop on you, but I don't have enough control of civilian affairs, and marriage falls under that category, to reject it. Its all your choice, even if the council is doing this for its own greedy purposes."

"But…" Naruto started. "Why?"

"You have…techniques that no one else knows how to do," she said, and Naruto instantly understood what she meant: Hadô and his other Kidô. "The council wants to ensure that the usage of those techniques becomes widespread enough in their lifetimes. The only way to do that…"

"…is for me to marry multiple women and father many children," Naruto finished softly.

Tsunade sighed, "This is a lot to take in, I know. Go home and rest. You can give your report in a few days."

Standing, Naruto bowed, "Hai."

Then, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Outside the door, as Tsunade opened up her drawer and pulled out a bottle of saké, Hinata and Tenten turned to look at one another, mentally going over what they had learned. Since they hadn't seen Naruto once he had gotten back in, they had decided to see of Tsunade knew where he was. Fortunately for them, they had not been fast enough to catch Tsunade before Naruto. That had allowed them to eavesdrop.

"Would you really…?" the rest of Tenten's question was silent, but it was obvious enough that Hinata knew what she was talking about.

"H-hai," Hinata said, embarrassing images going through her head, "but only if you truly love Naruto-kun."

"How did you…?" Tenten's mouth refused to make another sound as she gaped openly at the girl next to her.

"Ano…your kiss," Hinata murmured quietly. "I saw you kiss Naruto-kun earlier. Do you really love him?"

"I-I don't know," Tenten replied softly. "I think I do. But…I'm not positive. Besides, marriage? I want to get to know him a bit more before I think about that."

Hinata smiled, "Remember, you only have until Naruto-kun's sixteenth birthday to decide!"

"I think I can make up my mind by then," Tenten retorted humorously. "So, we're in agreement then?"

Hinata nodded, "Mm. We can share. And if one of us hurts Naruto-kun, the other can her ass."

Tenten smiled, slightly surprised at timid little Hinata's wordage (though she wasn't quite so timid or little anymore), then held out her hand, "Agreed. We can share. But only because we both love Naruto-kun. It'll be our job to give him what he's wanted above all else."

Hinata seemed shocked that Tenten knew Naruto's deepest desire, but grasped the other girl's hand, smiling warmly, "A loving home, more affection than he's ever thought possible, and a big, loving family, with plenty of children for him to spoil."

Tenten suddenly pulled the Hyuga into a huge, and the younger girl was surprised to find wet tears soaking into her shirt as the older girl whispered into her ear, "Thank you, Hinata. Thank you for giving me a chance."

In that moment, Hinata knew she had made the right decision. She and Tenten most certainly would not agree about everything in the coming days, but their friendship and their love for Naruto would hopefully make things much easier to weather.

Hopefully.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

_**Read the Author's Notes!:**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach**

**Sasuke **_**will**_** develop a new zanpakuto. Or rather, the zanpakuto he had will awaken its true self. Before, it didn't have the strength to become Sasuke's weapon. Now, after having drawn strength from Yamamoto's sword, it does (Yes, people can use others' zanpakuto. Toussen has proven this in Bleach canon). The only thing I'll tell you about it is that its name is going to be Murakumo and it's going to be a lightning elemental sword. **

_**Sairin… (The Second Advent)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	7. The Real Folk Blues

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**For NaruHina version, see "Chapter VII: B-Side".**

**Chapter Seven: The Real Folk Blues**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

A dark figure, clothed in the blackest of blacks, dashed across the grounds at amazing speeds, his sandals silent as they clapped against the ground noiselessly. Pale armor guarded his forearms and torso, dark gloves reaching up from his fingertips to the tops of his biceps. A snarling white dragon mask with blue markings hid his face from view, his spiky blonde hair sweeping back in the wind as he crossed the short wooden bridge without making a sound.

"_We're leaving for a couple years, brat, no more than two and a half," the white-haired Jiraiya said seriously. "I've got to train you up so that you can take on the Akatsuki. They're a bunch of S-ranked criminals. Right now, you don't stand a chance in Hell."_

_Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair, "When are we leaving?"_

"_Tomorrow," Jiraiya replied, "at the crack of dawn. I would have us leave tonight, but Tsunade-hime wants to see you first. You'd better get going."_

The guards standing at the front of the gate only saw a black streak at first, then it solidified into a person and, before they could so much as yelp, that person was upon them. The original slammed up against one guard with the force of a freight train, knocking the wind out of the samurai sentinel, while a doppelganger came out of nowhere and tackled the second one.

The person — it was a boy with blond hair who couldn't be more than thirteen or fourteen — unsheathed the sword on his back in a flash, cold blue eyes gleaming from behind the dragon mask. The guard gasped and tried to force air into his lungs, but couldn't manage. His ribs were probably broken; he was doomed and there was nothing to be done, not even scream out a warning.

"_I know you're leaving tomorrow, Naruto-kun," Tsunade said, "so I figured I'd get this out of the way now. It'll be a lot easier for you to work together to accomplish this mission, rather than have you simply training with Jiraiya as they try to guard you and complete the directive simultaneously."_

_Naruto arched an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, Baa-chan?"_

_Tsunade smirked, reaching under her desk and grabbing an object. She set whatever it was on her desk, the blasted smirk never leaving her lips. When she removed her hand, however, and the object in question was revealed to him in all its glory, he understood why she was smirking. Only an idiot or the most uneducated slob would fail to recognize it for what it was._

_Sitting innocently on Tsunade's desk was a pale, snarling mask shaped into a dragon's head, though the muzzle was much shorter. It was an ANBU mask._

The first boy threw the guard against the pale walls of the gate, poising his sword with deadly steadiness. With a silent battle cry, he thrust the blade into the man's gut, watching as his victim's face filled with pain and horror as he wheezed breathlessly. Blood splattered over his hands, gushing from the wound as tempered steel pinned his enemy to the wall; he was beyond saving, now. Only a medic of Tsunade's caliber could fix such a wound.

Just to make sure, however, he twisted the sharp steel of his sword clockwise, like turning a brutal key in a delicate, rusted lock. To further complicate the wound, he jerked his blade to the left, opening it in another direction entirely. More blood splattered out of the man and onto his fingers, soaking the cloth and ray-skin of Hyôrinmaru's hilt. There. An injury opened in so many directions would be impossible to stitch closed. The guard was as good as dead.

"_Wait, wait, _wait_," Naruto held his hands up, trying to understand what he had just been told, "I've only just joined and I'm already a captain?"_

"_Under normal procedure, you wouldn't be," Itachi said, his weasel mask attached (somehow) to the bottom left hem of his chest armor. "However, none of us on this team believe we would be good captain material. Yuugao-san is a close-range fighter and believes she would not be able to give orders during battle. I simply do not want the position and Hawk (who refuses to share his real name) said that he isn't 'leader material'."_

"_So, naturally, I got stuck being captain," Naruto sighed exasperatedly._

"_That's about the size of it," Itachi suddenly smirked, "Taichô."_

_Naruto simply flipped him the bird._

The second guard gurgled his last breath, rasping wetly as he struggled to get air to his lungs. Blood trickled out of the corners of his mouth, dribbling down his chin and onto his expensive kimono. His knees gave out and his feet slipped, jerking him downwards. The sword protruding from his chest, however, made it difficult for him to do much than slide a few inches as his pierced heart slowed to a stop.

As his shadow clone disappeared with a soft pop and a thin cloud of smoke, the original withdrew his sword and slashed at air, flicking the blood off of the silver blade. He frowned beneath the porcelain, glaring at the red staining the hilt, wishing that it was made of something that didn't soak up the blood, like metal or diamond. He would have to see about replacing the ray-skin and cloth with sapphire reinforced by seals.

Stabbing his sword into the ground, he made a hand seal and two Bunshin popped to life, scrambling to do his silent bidding. Each one grabbed one of the guards and dragged them across the bridge, off into the forest. From their, Itachi would use his raven contract to dispose of the corpses.

Peering over the past the open gate, Naruto looked into the sprawling compound that was hidden behind the tall, all encompassing fence. He needed to do this cleanly, one that spoke of ninja involvement and would make Orochimaru slightly nervous about being caught. A simple fire to destroy the wooden abodes within would be too vague and seem more like an accident.

"_Ano…Naruto-kun, we heard what Tsunade-sama told you," Hinata started nervously, her index fingers pushing together, "and…"_

"_I…ah…" Tenten blushed, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, "I…want to get to know you better…"_

"_I…" Naruto looked over at Hinata, silently asking her what she thought. The girl simply smiled and nodded, red rising on her cheeks. He looked down, "I'm…not sure if…if I can really love two girls…but…"_

_He locked gazes with Tenten, "But…if Hinata-chan is encouraging it…I think I can try…"_

_Tenten smiled shyly. Naruto's lips tugged into a grin as he grabbed both girls' hands, "The first thing you're going to learn, Tenten-chan, is food crafted by the gods! Ramen!"_

'_Somehow,' Naruto thought to himself as he pulled both giggling girls towards Ichiraku, 'somehow…I'll find a way to love them both…equally. Hinata-chan, Tenten-chan…thank you. Thank you for doing what few have ever done. Thank you for caring.'_

Blue eyes swept over the grounds, taking in the placements of the guards and watchmen. He needed to make sure there was no sign of struggle. This needed to look like a massacre done by an elite ninja, an S-rank foe, not the A-rank Chûnin ANBU peering into the darkness, guided only be the moon's light. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something that could foil his plans.

A watchdog. A mongrel, but it was a watchdog nonetheless. It was lying near the farthest house (which wasn't as far as it sounded), supposedly asleep. If it caught wind of him, the entire thing would be ruined and he'd have to pull off a powerful, area-effective jutsu. That dog had to go. Besides, with its thin, stringy body, its visible ribs, and the gaunt, sunken eyes, he was probably putting it out of its misery. It was obviously being starved.

Naruto mentally went over the mission assignment once again: Assassinate Echigoya Rokube — The merchant, Echigoya Rokube, has been discovered dealing weapons and other illegal objects and substances to the Hidden Sound village. He and his partners must be eliminated and made example of. S-rank mission.

Frowning, Naruto turned his attention back to the dog and pulled a kunai out of his holster. Taking careful aim at the sleeping beast, he knew that he'd only have one shot at this. A flick of his wrist sent the weighted weapon flying through the air, whistling lowly. With a soft thud, and a small splash of blood, it buried itself in the mongrel's skull, right between the eyes. It was dead instantly and painlessly.

With the beast taken care of, Naruto made hand seals and four more Bunshin popped into existence next to him. They all nodded, two of them taking off towards the farthest building, one taking the middle building, and the other taking the building on the far right. They all moved silently and stealthily, avoiding other guards.

Unsheathing his sword, Naruto leapt onto the roof of the middle building and pulled out two shuriken with his left hand. He threw them, watching as they each sank into the body of another guard. The first one sliced through one guard's neck from the back, severing his spinal cord and killing him almost instantly with a splash of blood. The second embedded into the forehead of the other guard, whose eyes glazed over as he fell backwards.

Naruto cursed as a third guard came rushing out of the building, his lantern swinging about in his hand as he frantically tried to figure out what was going on and why his comrades were dead. Naruto pulled out a kunai and chucked it with all of his strength, watching as it soared through the night air and sliced clean through the third man's neck — in the front and out the back. He collapsed backwards in a violent spray of blood, clutching his neck as he died.

With the three guards taken care of, Naruto leapt onto the roof of the third building, running silently over the tiles. No one noticed him, leaving him a clear cut path towards his target. He passed by several more guards, making sure he was unseen as he traveled over the rooftops. As he reached the back of the lengthy building, he saw a sort of walkway stretching out from it.

A cold, satisfied grin swept over his lips, his eyes sweeping right over the walkway and to the other end of it. There, hidden away behind the building and protected by the large walls that enclosed the entire compound, was a small, comfortable shack big enough for only one man to live in. There was a light on that shone through shoji doors and tobacco smoke filtered out of the window.

As he put one foot forward, intent on barging into Echigoya's little hut, the memories of his Kage Bunshin flooded his mind.

_His blade sank into the unprepared man's chest, pinning him against the wall stomach first. Twisting the samurai's arm behind his back, he dug his elbow between his victim's shoulder blades. His other hand crept up, jerking the man's jaw sharply. With a loud crack, the previously asleep bodyguard's neck snapped and broke. The man slumped, dead._

_The man sitting on the floor was ignorant of the ninja creeping up behind him, blade gleaming in the candlelight. He seemed to be meditating as he sat on his cushion with his hands folded in his lap, murmuring some weird incantation. The blond boy walking up behind him, however, was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. With a swing of his sword, the chanting stopped and blood gushed out, flooding the room with crimson and splattering against the white shoji door. Naruto glanced down at the sword lying near the dead man's feet. This was not a civilian, so the blonde could kill him._

_The woman walked past, shivering lightly as she moved towards the pot of boiling water. With a content sigh, she poured the water into a cup and started to make tea to alleviate the cold, not noticing the shadowy figure leaping through the door she'd left open. Her ceramic cup would fall to the floor later and shatter when she walked back to her room and glimpsed through an open door, only to see a body and an ocean of blood._

_He tackled the unprepared man to the floor from behind, forcing the balding man to the wooden boards beneath them. His knees pressed painfully into the man's back, driving all air from the man's lungs. While his target was stunned, he reached down and grasped at two places: the top of the man's skull and the far side of his jaw. With a twist and a sickening crunch, the aging samurai knew no more._

_He was pressed up against the wall, waiting for his next target to pass by. He could hear the man humming, as well as his heavy, uncoordinated footsteps. The man was either drunk or deliriously happy; or perhaps some combination of the two. As soon as his foe stepped close enough, though, he reached around and pulled him to the wall, using the momentum of the roll to slice cleanly through his throat. With a wet gurgle, he died._

Several other memories flitted through Naruto's head, but he blocked them out. The first five told him that there weren't any other ninja around, which made his mission a lot easier. With a grim smile, he looked over the edge of the tiles and saw a guard below him, holding a lantern as he dutifully protected his boss.

Silently, Naruto hopped off the roof and fell toward the ground, sword in hand. The man walking around below was unprepared for him as tempered steel slashed at him, the momentum of Naruto's fall adding force to his weapon. The blade started at the man's skull, cutting downwards through his neck, then his chest, and finally, his groin. A fountain of blood erupted from the slice as the body fell in two separate directions, cut in half down the middle.

Naruto threw a kunai at the second guard, who had stood there and gaped at the ninja that had appeared from nowhere. The knife flew quicker than the man could react and, by consequence, sunk into his throat, severing his vocal cords. Wheezing as he gasped for air, the man clutched at his neck as blood gushed out and over his chest, staining his clothes. He fell backwards and, with a final gurgle, died.

Pulling the meanest posture he could manage, Naruto turned and walked towards the hut, throwing the doors open in a show of strength. The man inside seemed not to notice as a shinobi in bloodstained black and cream garb walked up behind him. Kneeling down, Naruto clapped his hand over the man's mouth.

That seemed to get Rokube's attention. Echigoya reached up and desperately tried to ply the blonde's fingers from his mouth, but to no avail. Naruto slowly stood up, dragging Echigoya to his feet as well. The man struggled in his grasp, flailing his arms about in vain hope that he might force his captor to release him. Naruto leaned forward.

"Echigoya Rokube," he whispered into the man's ear, his voice menacing and cold, "you have been caught illegally dealing weapons and other important stuffs to the enemy country of Hidden Sound. For this crime, you have been sentenced to death."

Naruto reversed his grip on his sword so that the point was poking Echigoya in the chest. Jerking his arm back, the sword sunk through flesh and bone, blood gushing out and splattering the floor, walls, and ceiling, soaking his white kimono as the blade pierced the man's heart and came out his back a few inches from Naruto's left hip. A few seconds later, Echigoya went limp.

Pulling his sword free, Naruto swiped at air, flicking the blood off of his blade and extinguishing the candles simultaneously. Reaching up, he sheathed the sword on his back once more and wrote a single word on the wall in Echigoya's blood.

With a final glare at the corpse now cooling on the ground, the dragon-masked ninja walked backwards into the shadows and disappeared into the darkness, the word 'Traitor' gleaming on the wall in the moonlight.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto hung off the cliff, waiting for the guard to walk by. He wasn't using charka, except in his fingers to keep from falling, so even the sharpest of senses would be unable to find him in the pitch darkness. Then, he heard it; the soft whistle of a bored watchman as he walked past, performing his rounds.

'_Kimura Izaemon,'_ Naruto thought to himself, _'has been implicated as one of Echigoya's accomplices in the man's letters. His deeds and actions are a danger to the Land of Fire. He must atone with is life. That's what the mission statistics said. Itachi is taking care of another guy, another of Echigoya's accomplices, and Yuugao and Hawk are busy tracking down a few of the middlemen. That leaves me to take down Kimura.'_

The moment his ears caught the sound of the man's feet right in front of him, Naruto flung himself up, flipping over so that he collided with his target feet first, knocking them both to the dirt and the air out of the guard's lungs. Before the man could so much as gasp, Naruto's sword was pressed up against his throat. Placing his free hand against the dull side of the blade, Naruto pushed down like a chef carefully cutting vegetables and sliced through the guard's neck. With a gush of blood, he died.

There was a gasp and Naruto looked up at the second guard, who had just turned the corner of the large red fence. Without hesitation, Naruto flung a kunai at the man, hitting him in the throat. There was a splash of blood that splattered over the ground as the guard reached up for his neck, dropping his spear and stumbling backwards. He wound up tripping on the edge of the cliff and fell to the ground fifteen feet below with a sickening crunch.

Standing, Naruto leapt up to the top of the fence, crouching on it like an overgrown bird as he looked out over the entire compound. Despite the fact that it was night, the grounds were fairly well lit and there were very few places and shadows to hide in. There was a single pond to his right, near the wall, and several small bushes surrounded it, but hiding there wouldn't be a very good idea.

There were two large buildings connected to one another by walkways, all panted red but for the dark roof, and they blocked his view of the back but for small glimpses. Attached to the building on the right was another walkway, and attached to that walkway was a small hut, the pale white door glowing from an indoor fire. Naruto's eyes narrowed. That was his best bet.

Naruto leapt down from the gate top, sword poised in a downward stab. As he came down, his sword sunk through the guard's right shoulder a few inches from his neck and sliced through several organs as well as vital arteries. There was a violent spray of blood as the man collapsed and died, letting him know that he had severed the jugular vein, and it splashed all over him, soaking his uniform through and dyeing Hyôrinmaru's hilt red.

Hearing footsteps, Naruto rushed up to the building and pressed himself up against the wall. A few seconds later, another samurai walked onto the walkway right before Naruto's eyes. Leaping from his hiding spot, Naruto grappled the man and pulled him outside, pushing him against the wall. With a violent stab, he cut through the man's spine and into the wall, jerking his blade upwards and into a lung.

As soon as his sword was loose, the man slumped against the wall and slid to the ground, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Going through several hand seals, Naruto stopped on snake. The earth and dirt at his feet rippled and dove upward, swallowing the corpse whole and dragging it down beneath the surface.

A single seal later and several Kage Bunshin popped into existence noiselessly, saluting him before they rushed off to their destination. As soon as they were all out of sight, Naruto leapt onto the roof and looked towards the back of the compound, which had previously been obscured by the very building he sat atop.

There were several small huts in the back, a couple fenced in or separated by fences for whatever reason, though it soon became clear why. The windows were barred with thick wood and several guards patrolled the fronts, which meant there wasn't a back door. There was no light peeking through the heavy bamboo doors, so that meant these huts could only contain one thing.

Prisoners.

Naruto frowned, standing up straight. He took off at a run, dashing over the thick clay and porcelain tiles that lay beneath his feet. As he reached the edge of the building, he leapt forward in a sort of dive, landing between two guards and rolling past them. As he stopped his movement and finished in a crouch, the men beside him gasped in surprise.

His hand reached up and grasped his sword. In a blur of movement faster than lightning, he lashed out at both men, then sheathed his blade again. There were two identical spurts of blood, the dark red liquid sinking into the dark cloth of his clothes and soaking his hair, and then the two sentinels fell to the ground, cut in half at the waist.

Twisting around, Naruto flung two kunai towards the far wall, barely missing the other guards. Predictably, both the burly and scrawny groups of samurai panicked slightly when the black metal flew past them. Naruto didn't bother to hide as they looked towards him, biting down on the two strands of ninja wire as he flashed through hand seals.

He stopped on tiger and took a deep breath, watching as the samurai sentinels tried to wiggle out of the thin, durable wire that had them trapped. His eyes cold, he blew out and two streams of fire raced down the wire at amazing speeds, consuming the samurai as they went. Each one screamed as their skin melted off their bones, but Naruto's wince of sympathy was barely noticeable.

Turning his gaze away from them, Naruto leapt over the building in front of him, landing on the wall behind it and leaning against the back of the small hut. Turning to look at the barred window, he tapped against the wood as hard as he dared to. There was a slight ruckus — he had obviously startled whoever was in there.

"Hello?" a voice asked unsurely, barely older than perhaps fourteen or fifteen. "Who's there?"

"Depends," Naruto said softly. "Who's in there?"

"Ishida Mitsunari," the voice replied, brimming with confidence, "former heir to the Daimyo throne of Nami no Kuni."

"Nami no Kuni, huh?" Naruto replied. "What are you doing so far away from home, Ishida-kun?"

"I'm a 'political hostage'," Mitsunari said darkly and bitterly. "Gatou kidnapped me to use against my father about two and a half years ago. He said he'd kill me if my father didn't bend to his demands. If it had been my choice, I would've rather died. Because of me, Gatou and his bastard buddies have my country under their thumb."

Naruto allowed a chuckle to pass his lips. He could practically hear Mitsunari flush, "Don't laugh! It's not funny!"

"You're right, it's not," Naruto didn't bother to stop laughing, "but the irony is killer."

"Right," Mitsunari said scathingly, his tone sarcastic, "irony. It's absolutely hilarious."

"It is," Naruto replied, "because Gatou's dead."

Mitsunari shifted around, a pregnant pause blanketing the two of them, then, "What?"

"Gatou's been dead for about a year or so now, give or take a few months," Naruto told him calmly. "I saw him die with my own eyes, his neck slashed almost in half. If that didn't kill him, I'm sure the four story fall did."

"So, Gatou's dead," Mitsunari mused. "That means that my country is free. Good. Even if they don't need me, I'm sure things are working out for them."

"You could always go back, you know," Naruto told him. "I could set you free and lead you back home or point you in the right direction. I could even kill the guys holding you captive so that you can make a clean get away."

"No," Mitsunari said solemnly, "I can't go back. Gatou and his friends warned me that the moment I escaped, they'd launch a full-scale invasion and destroy my country. My freedom isn't worth the lives of so many innocent people. I could never forgive myself if I were the cause of that."

"But if I kill the guys who are keeping you locked up," Naruto insisted, "then they won't be able to strike! You could go home, safe and sound and free, and Kimura wouldn't be able to touch you!"

"It's not that simple," Mitsunari fought back. "Kimura is merely a small link in a large chain. If he dies and I'm found missing, they'll still assume it was my doing and destroy my country. I can't do what you're asking. I'll not condemn my people to death simply to escape my prison!"

Naruto suddenly chuckled, "Well said. It seems, Mitsunari, that you and I are very similar people. Now, let's get you out of here."

"Weren't you listening?" Mitsunari demanded hotly. "I can't go!"

"Yes, you can," Naruto said, grinning as he sliced the bars off of the window. He leapt through it, landing inside the small hut next to a boy about a year his senior with long, auburn brown hair. "Because, to the rest of the world, tonight will be the night that Ishida Mitsunari dies."

"What are you talking about?" Mitsunari asked confusedly.

Naruto ignored him, pulling out a scroll from one of the three pouches tied to the back of his belt. He unrolled it and bit his thumb, swiping it along the rice paper before going through hand seals. He pressed his palms against the paper and, in a poof of smoke, a nondescript body lay naked on the floor.

"This is what's called a 'Corpse Doll', recently developed by Konoha's R&D," Naruto explained, waving his hand over at Mitsunari. He fell to his knees numbly sitting next to the crouched Naruto. The blond grabbed his hand a pricked his thumb with a kunai. "All you have to do is get a blood sample of the person you want to mimic and you can create a realistic corpse of that person."

Naruto pressed Mitsunari's thumb against the body's forehead, wiping the blood across the doll's brow. As soon as the two of them withdrew their hands, the body on the floor twisted and morphed with sick squelching sounds until an exact double of the brown-haired boy was lying with its eyes closed on the wooden boards.

"How does this help us?" Mitsunari asked acidly. "How does this change the fact that my country will be targeted?"

"Because Kimura and all the people associated with his illegal shipments are targeted for assassination," Naruto explained. "Doing this ensures that whoever's left, in the case that my team actually misses someone, can't blame you."

Naruto nodded, then looked out the broken window, "Are there any other prisoners?"

"No," Mitsunari replied quietly. "No one that we'd want to rescue, anyway. They're all prisoners of war; hostages from this village calling itself 'Hidden Sound'. They're supposed to ensure that the negotiations with that place go smoothly. They're collateral, I think is the right word."

"All right," Naruto nodded, then turned towards the window. "Come on, let's go. It's a long walk back to camp."

"Wait!" Mitsunari insisted. "What about Kimura?"

Naruto was about to reply when the perfect answer hit him.

_He advanced on the cowering man, his sword stained with blood from the many guards he had slain. It was splattered all over his mask, painting the white porcelain a dark and scary crimson. The red liquid dripped from his hands and gloves, which squeaked slightly with his every move. His blonde hair was wet, slick, and matted with scarlet and sweat. He imagined he looked like a demon._

"_Please!" Kimura begged. "I'll give you anything! Just spare me my life!"_

"_Kimura Izaemon," he began darkly, his voice a low growl._

"_Please!" Kimura continued, begging pitifully. "I'll tell you anything you want to know!"_

"_Your future," he spoke harshly, his breath rattling against his mask, "is death."_

_His strike was fast as lightning, slicing cleanly through the man's neck. He watched stoically as Kimura's head flopped to the ground, blood gushing from both sides of the severed neck. It splashed against the wall, staining the floorboards crimson and coating the room in a coppery stench. His job done, he turned around and disappeared with a small pop._

Naruto let go of the breath he'd been holding, "Kimura Izaemon is no longer a problem."

Mitsunari shivered at his tone, then sighed, "Alright, let's go."

Naruto nodded, "Stand near the back wall."

Mitsunari did as told, feeling uneasy as the blond boy went through several strange hand motions. The feeling intensified as his companion took a deep breath, pressing his fingers to his lips, and then blew. A giant fireball was what came out, barreling into the front wall of the hut with raucous intensity.

"I've had some tutoring in Ninjutsu, but," Mitsunari whispered in awe, "I never imagined…"

"Stop ogling and hop on!" Naruto said hotly.

Mitsunari turned away from the flames almost reluctantly, draping his arms over Naruto's shoulders as he climbed onto the boy's back. He expected his new friend to just burst through the wall like a rhinoceros, but the blond proved him wrong by pressing his hand up against the rear wall and closing his eyes.

"Hadô no Sanjuusan," Naruto said quietly, "Sôkatsui."

There was a bright flash of blue and, suddenly, a large portion of the back wall was missing, as if it had simply disintegrated. Mitsunari kept his eyes wide open, afraid that he'd miss something if he blinked. With a large space cleared for their exit, Naruto leapt away from the hut and into the woods, even as the other prisoner huts caught fire..

Mitsunari didn't look back even once.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto landed atop the roof of the tall building, amazed at the advanced structure it displayed. Yuugao landed next to him, her long purple hair cascading down her back and her mask covering her face. She was his partner on this mission because the target was suspected of hiring high-level ninja.

The mission was simple. Echigoya Heisuke, the uncle of Echigoya Rokube and nearly twice as corrupt as his nephew, needed to be assassinated. Itachi had been trailing him a little while back and deemed that he had no more information that would be useful to them. Thus, the order was given to assassinate him.

Sunlight blanketed the small town in brightness, which meant that there were much fewer places to hide. Normally, they wouldn't be doing a mission like this in broad daylight. It risked mission failure and the discovery of their involvement. That was _not_ something that Konoha needed, considering how tense the situation with Sound already was.

Echigoya, however, had made things a bit more complicated than Team Foxhound would have liked. He was scheduled to leave the country by boat in the middle of the day and would henceforth be unreachable in the Land of Earth, sheltered by a few of Sound's allies in Iwagakure, the Hidden Stone village.

That was why Naruto and Yuugao were where they were, perched atop a three story building made of sanded, symmetrical stone. Behind them was the vast land of Fire Country, and in front of them was the famous Sea of Japan, which split Fire Country in half and ran along the edge of the East Continent and up to Tsuchi no Kuni.

Naruto knew that, if they were going to kill Echigoya Heisuke, they had to do it here and now. He could not be allowed to escape to enemy territory and safety. They would have to make it through a town crawling with body guards and keep out of sight of civilians to do so, but it was necessary to accomplish their mission.

Naruto motioned to Yuugao and she nodded, jumping to the next rooftop before diving down into the alleyway. She was going to take that side of town and he would take the other. Splitting up might not be the best idea, but it was the only idea that would work for them. Everything had to work or else the entire mission was blown.

Unsheathing his sword, Naruto leapt down on the two unsuspecting sentinels, landing silently behind the first one. With a swing of his blade, the first man fell to the ground, cut in half at the middle. Naruto vanished before the second could so much as brandish his spear, reappearing back to back with the man, his sword stabbed through the guard's back and out his stomach.

Wrenching his weapon free with a spurt of blood, the second guard fell to the ground and gurgled his last breath, his life's essence staining the ground crimson. Naruto didn't bother turning around and simply rushed out of the small alcove, going right and dashing towards the other man walking down the street.

Steel flashed as he tackled the third guard to the dirt road, his sword slicing through the samurai's vocal cords and severing his jugular vein. Blood sprayed out, soaking Naruto's arms and hands in crimson and staining his white porcelain armor red. Gasping for breath, the third guard fell limp and died.

Creeping forward quietly, he stopped and crouched down at the edge of a slanted dirt ramp. The area he currently stalked in, it seemed, was elevated above the rest of the port town. He peered over the edge, looking down at the ground beneath his position. There, right below him and a meter or so to the left was another guard, yawning as he patrolled the area.

Naruto was more cautious than that, though, and turned his gaze upwards toward a walled-in building and the street beside it. There, in plain sight of the first guard, was another guard walking up and down the dirt road, no doubt patrolling that area while the first one merely looked around every once in a while.

He would have to time this just right in order to stay unnoticed. If he was too slow, the second man would see him as he killed the first and would raise an alarm before Naruto could do anything. If he was too fast, the second man might catch him out of the corner of his eyes, then raise an alarm anyways.

As soon as the second man had turned around, Naruto hopped off the edge of the ramp and landed behind the first guard, jumping atop him and dragging them both face first into the ground. Wasting no time, Naruto raised his blade and sliced cleanly through the first guard's spine, killing him instantly.

As soon as the first man was dead, Naruto dashed towards the second at full speed, his feet clapping against the ground noisily. Apparently, his haste had alerted his enemy to his presence as the man turned around and his face twisted in horror. He looked ready to scream out in terror, but Naruto would not give him the chance.

Hyôrinmaru was sharper than most blades, which gave him a distinct advantage over normal metal. In assassination, it made for a cleaner kill. As Naruto ran his sword through the second guard, it became clear that, even without Shikai or Bankai, Hyôrinmaru was a superior sword.

The silvery blade bit into the samurai a lot easier than a normal sword would, making a neat incision in the cloth he was wearing as it tore a whole in pale pink flesh. There was no blood, surprisingly, as though the man had been drained of it long ago. There was no flash of crimson or spurt of scarlet. There was only a pained and agonized gasp as the life left his eyes.

Naruto pulled Hyôrinmaru free, a torrent of red spraying out as soon as the metal had been pulled loose. The guard staggered backwards, gasping and holding his hands over the wound as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. He tripped over his own heels and gulped in his last breath, then went still.

Paying no notice, Naruto charged chakra to his feet and jumped atop the large brick building in front of him, peering over the edge of the roof tiles. He grimaced in annoyance. There, strolling along the cobblestone street, was another guard. He was distinctly dumb looking and seemed nothing more than a common thug.

Naruto pulled a kunai from the holster on his leg, taking precise aim as the thug stopped moving for a moment to look around. His muscles tensed, he threw the tiny blade with all of his might, watching as it sailed down at unstoppable speeds towards its target. With the force of a freight train, the small kunai sunk into the man's neck. There was a large spurt of blood, then the thug collapsed sideways, dead.

Channeling chakra to his legs once more, Naruto jumped across the wide street and onto the building across from him. Looking down from the roof to find an empty alleyway, he leapt again onto the next building, landing softly on the tiled roof. In front of him, he could see the vast and wide body of water that his target intended to travel on.

Peering down beneath him again, Naruto frowned and let out a frustrated sigh. How many guards did this guy have stationed around the tiny little port town? Was he seriously that paranoid that he thought he needed such extensive security measures? Did he _know_ that he was being followed? Was that even possible?

Exasperated, Naruto drew another kunai from the holster on his right leg. Luckily, this guard wasn't in view of the boat or else he might have alerted a few people to his presence. He threw the tiny blade and watched as it buried itself up to the hilt in the man's skull, which guaranteed that he was dead.

Jumping down, Naruto broke into a run instantly, heading towards the docks. After all, that's where his target would be, preparing to ship off so as to escape the wrath of his enemies. Yuugao would probably be along shortly, as soon as she finished up with her group of guards on the other end of town.

As he ran up the gangplank, however, Naruto received his first shock in quite a while. Every single bodyguard on the ship, whether they were samurai, ninja, or even simple civilians, was dead and bleeding sluggishly over the already red boards. As a cry of terror reached his ears, Naruto's gaze flickered over to the only survivor of this massacre.

"Help me!" Echigoya cried pitifully, his old wrinkled face soaked with sweat. "Plea—!"

He never got to finish his sentence. Protruding from his neck, stabbed through the back and severing his spine without a doubt, was a thin, straight ninja-to. Just as soon as it had killed Heisuke, however, it was jerked out of the corpse ruthlessly. As Echigoya fell to the ground, dead, Naruto got his first look at the assassin.

Naruto's first thought was, 'Itachi'. It left just as quickly. The man standing before him looked to be about twenty years old, his body lean and muscular. His bare chest was covered only in fishnet, a long, dark coat not unlike Ibiki's hanging open on his shoulders and hiding his arms. His hair was short but his bangs were long, his dark eyes stoic and cold.

Dark pants rippled as he shifted slightly, his black eyes glancing at something behind Naruto. In a calm voice he spoke, just barely above a whisper, "The shadows of Konoha."

Naruto just barely brought his sword up in time to block the man's blow, sparks flying as his enemy's steel slid against Hyôrinmaru. His blade jiggled as his arms strained under the man's superior strength. One thought flashed through his head, overriding the alarmed, panicked responses that tried to make it to the surface, _'Fast!'_

"Taichô!"

The man jumped back as a familiar purple-haired woman lunged toward him, seeking to stab him and bury her blade in his abdomen. She settled into a defensive posture in front of her blonde commander, brandishing her sword threateningly. Naruto scowled, knowing that he would have to finish this battle quickly.

He flashed through one-handed seals, the water around the ship churning as it lifted into the air, forming a cage of needles around the unidentified man, "Sensatsu Suisho!"

The man, however, seemed prepared for such a thing. As the needles of water rushed in to attack and skewer him, his arm seemed to blur, moving in multiple directions all at once. When he stopped moving, the needles of water had all splashed down on to the deck of the ship, returned to their base composition.

As the shock of his failure sunk in, Naruto could only watch as Yuugao dove at the enemy ninja, bringing her sword down in a vertical slash. The man blocked it simply, pushing her back and then kicking her in the stomach. She flew back and collided with the floor, skidding to a halt at Naruto's feet.

Growling, Naruto pointed his palm at the man and shouted out his next attack, "Hadô no Sanjuusan: Sôkatsui!"

A ball of blue fire rocketed forwards from Naruto's palm, targeting the mysterious shinobi who had, by all accounts, done their job for them. It exploded against the man, sending up dust, smoke and pieces of wood in the process. Naruto growled again as he looked up towards the sky, where the man had jumped.

Naruto leapt upwards as well, landing on one of the long poles that clung to the mast and held the sails in place. His eyes were narrowed into thin blue slits as he glared at this new and impressive enemy. Whoever he was, he was at least high A-class in strength and skill, perhaps even S-class.

Jumping over towards his opponent, Naruto brought his sword down in a vertical slash. It was blocked almost effortlessly, drawing another growl from the blonde's throat. His next attempt was to slice the man in half at the waist, but that attack was blocked as well. Snarling, Naruto vanished.

The man twisted to the left, his long coat fluttering on his right as tempered steel stabbed through the knitted cloth like it was nothing. As the coat settled, obscuring Naruto's hands from view, the man reared his arm back, stabbing forward with his ninja-to, crashing right into Naruto's mask.

The porcelain cracked and shattered as he pulled his sword back again, attempting to behead the blonde. Naruto ducked underneath it, twisting his blade and the cloth trapped around it, shaking his enemy's footing. As the man righted himself, he was unprepared for the fist that his opponent had thrown his way.

The man's head jerked backwards as he stumbled atop the thin, horizontal wooden pole, a bruise already purpling on his cheek. His face didn't change even the slightest, despite the angry puce spot on the right side of his mouth. His lips didn't even twitch and his eyes seemed as if they refused to narrow.

Then, he seemed to fade from view as his voice spoke up from behind Naruto, "It looks like I have found a worthy opponent."

"Taichô!" Yuugao called, tackling him as the man's blade scraped against the back of her armor. They righted themselves in midair and landed with a dull thud on the deck below, glaring up at the man.

"You are indeed skilled," the man said. He jumped from the mast and did an acrobatic flip, landing on the other side of the deck on his knees. He stood slowly. "My name is Shigi."

"Yuugao," Naruto commanded sternly, "get off the ship."

Nodding, Yuugao leapt backwards and off the boat, landing on the dock and backing up steadily, as her Taichô had commanded. Naruto jumped on to the ledge of the deck, then sprung upwards high into the air as he swung his sword, calling out, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

A dragon made of liquid ice soared downwards, opening its massive maw in a roar as it flew towards the man identified as Shigi. As the beast closed the distance between them, Shigi lifted his sword and batted the dragon away as if it were nothing. It swerved off course and crashed into the ocean, turning the immediate vicinity into ice.

"What do you know of this man?" Naruto asked as he landed next to Yuugao.

"He's called 'Shigi the Silent'," she told him. "He's marked down as a low S-rank ninja with incredible combat skills. Supposedly, he's a rogue ninja from Iwagakure that almost never speaks. Other sources say that he's a ninja from a clan employed directly by a Daimyo, though which one, they don't say. His trademark is called the 'Hane Shunshin'." (Feather Body Flicker)

"S-rank, huh?" Naruto breathed. "Think we can take him?"

She didn't get to answer as Shigi beckoned with his hand, saying, "Come, Ryûjin."

Naruto vanished, reappearing in front of Shigi with their swords locked, glaring at the man with frosty blue eyes. He jerked forwards suddenly, kneeing a surprised Shigi in the stomach and leaving the man open long enough to get his combo off. Shrugging the man's sword out of the way, he slashed downward.

Twisting his grip, he brought a second slash upwards, hacking a diagonal mark in Shigi's chest starting near his left hip. The third slash was horizontal from left to right, targeting the ninja's abdomen. Gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed downward again, deepening the first cut.

Kneeling forward slightly as Shigi's body shifted back from the force of his blows, he carved another left to right horizontal slash in his enemy's thighs. The next one was another diagonal slash that deepened the first, followed by another left to right horizontal slash that deepened the first as well.

Next, above the first horizontal slash, he carved another one, this time from right to left, in Shigi's torso. He followed up with a downward slash over the right side of the ninja's chest, then a horizontal left to right slash over his pectorals. He deepened the first right to left horizontal slash, then carved a downward diagonal slice from the notch between his collarbones to underneath the left side of his ribs.

The thirteenth slash sliced upwards into the left side of Shigi's chest with more force than all of the others. He stumbled backwards, Naruto jumping up and doing a summersault in midair, sword gripped tightly in both palms. As gravity pulled him back down, his sword carved a brutal slash through Shigi's head, torso, and the rest of his body, from crown to crotch.

In a voice as quiet and dark as death, Naruto said, "Hattou Issen."

In a puff of smoke, Shigi vanished to reveal a piece of mast that had been brutally slashed into tiny chunks. The real Shigi was standing at the ship's helm, a single long cut down the center of his torso. He had escaped the majority of Naruto's vicious attack, but he'd still been hit by the first strike.

"Indeed, a worthy opponent," Shigi said calmly, even as the cut on his chest bleed sluggishly, soaking his pants and painting his stomach red. "Don't die yet, Ryûjin."

And, in a blur of motion, he disappeared, leaving three black feathers behind.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The night was dark, the full moon blocked out by blue-tinted clouds as they lazily crossed the midnight sky. Stars too were hidden by these clouds, their bright twinkle snuffed by thick, condensed vapor. The vibrant trees turned dull and lifeless, once bright leaves turned to a sickly, dead green.

The wind was cool and brisk, howling as it wound through tree trunks and past branches, ruffling anything loose as it went. Blonde hair swayed in this wind and blue eyes blinked to keep from drying out. Red-ish orange flames flickered in the gentle gale, crackling away as dead wood fed them and kept them strong.

The blond shoved his stick further into the flames, watching as they rose furiously, lighting his little clearing and warming his chilled skin. A second jab and the fire took on a life all its own, flaring almost anxiously as the cool wind gentle settled it back down. It flashed in the blonde's blue eyes, bright and raging.

"_Hayate-kun…" Yuugao said slowly. "Hayate-kun was a very good man. He was kind and gentle, but he knew when the job was more important. He loved the village and all of the people inside of it, and often professed to me his desire to start a family."_

_Yuugao smiled sadly, "We were planning to get married. He told me to wait until after the Chûnin Exams, when things settled down. There would be too much excitement going on if we did so before then. He just wanted to have a quiet wedding with a few friends and colleagues, nothing big and fancy. Said that the size of the wedding wasn't important, it was the people who came."_

_Naruto nodded, understanding, "So…what happened?"_

_Yuugao bit her lip and tears welled up in her eyes, "He…he was killed a few days from the Finals. My old squad found him atop one of the buildings near the apartment used by the Sand Shinobi. He was…He was…cut nearly in half, his eyes wide open. He looked…so terrified."_

_Yuugao sobbed into her knees, "How could they do something like that to such a sweet man?"_

Naruto yawned, his mouth forming a perfect 'o'. He stretched his arms out, groaning noisily, and leaned backwards, letting out a satisfied sigh. He stood up and walked over to his sleeping bag, lying back on it to look at the sky with his hands folded behind his head. He smiled and let out a slight chuckle.

Yuugao was due back soon from whatever patrol or the like she had gone on. Itachi and Hawk were with Jiraiya at the main camp, receiving new orders for new missions and such the like. He himself was just coming back from an assassination mission that had almost gotten him killed. If Yuugao hadn't shown up at the last second, he might have been overwhelmed.

"_Kurokawa Shinzo," Naruto said coldly, walking towards the man with his sword drawn. "Commander of Otogakure's main army and one of Orochimaru's highest ranking figures, despite the fact that you're only a samurai with nothing more than a slightly above average knowledge of Ninjutsu. You plan to lead the army to Konoha tomorrow and do as much damage as you can."_

_Naruto stopped moving, glaring at the tall, muscular man, "Your future is death."_

_Shinzo chuckled, "That's what you think, _boy._"_

_He snapped his fingers and there was suddenly a large group of ninja, all Jônin if they could sneak around without him noticing, surrounding him on all sides. They all leered at him like he was a weak little Genin that they could tear apart in their sleep. He knew that, against a couple of them, he could win, but against this large number, he stood no chance._

'_Hinata-chan, Tenten-chan,' he thought solemnly, 'I'm sorry.'_

_There was a flash of steel and dozens of kunai rained down upon the large group, killing several of them before they could so much as breathe. A figure with purple hair appeared from nowhere, standing back to back with Naruto as she brandished her sword at the remaining men. Naruto felt a sigh of relief pass his lips before he could stop it._

"_I'm here, Taichô," Yuugao said confidently._

"Taichô," a feminine voice called quietly.

Naruto looked up to see Yuugao walk into the clearing. His eyes went wide as she sauntered past the trees, her hips swaying seductively. She was clad in nothing more than a thin, silk, fuchsia-colored robe that was hung low on her arms, revealing pale, creamy skin and not a small amount of cleavage that Jiraiya would kill for.

As he looked into her eyes, however, he realized that she wasn't _just_ trying to seduce him. She was crying, tears streaming down her face as if Hayate had just died all over again. He felt a pang in his heart. He hated seeing beautiful women cry. It was a bit of a chauvinistic thought, but it was true nonetheless.

"Taichô," she whispered softly, leaning down to straddle his waist. "Please, Taichô. No…please…Naruto-kun…"

Her robe slipped further, showing just a hint of her right areola, a dark pink against her creamy skin. Her smooth thighs, taught and lean like all shinobi, pressed up against his hips, strong as steel cords. He could feel, through the cloth of his pants, that she wore nothing beneath her robe.

"I miss Hayate-kun so much, Naruto-kun," she said into his ear. "This ache in my chest, it won't go away. I-I need to feel something else…something to distract from this pain…"

"Yuugao," he said softly, his eyes gentle. Something tugged at his insides, a feeling of sympathy and a need to wipe away those tears, no matter the cost. A little voice in his ear whispered 'genjutsu!' but he didn't hear it. "I don't know if…"

"Please, Naruto-kun," she begged, anguish clear in her voice. More tears fell. "If-if not this…then I might just stick my hand in that fire!"

Naruto sighed, feeling as if he were about to betray Hinata and Tenten, "If you're sure about this…"

"I am," she replied. "You…you remind me so much of Hayate-kun…"

She sighed, closing her eyes as she tugged his shirt off of him, "Please…make love to me, Naruto-kun…"

The rest of the night passed in a blur of heated flesh, gasps and moans, and a deep sense of guilt that welled up in Naruto's gut. Yuugao had done a lot for him and he considered her a close friend, but was he really doing what was right? He scolded himself in these moments; Yuugao was grieving and he could not live with himself if he did nothing to help her.

Still, he gave her a number of chances to change her mind, asked her repeatedly if she was sure that she wanted to keep going. In the end, however, he still found himself beneath her and succumbing to the glorious feeling of her slick, velvety flesh. Even with that sick feeling in his gut, he could not stop himself from enjoying the sensations that came with this strange adventure into sex.

When Naruto awoke the next morning, it was without the warmth of a female body pressed up against him. At once, he shot up in his sleeping bag, looking wildly around the clearing. The fire was out, the fuchsia robe lay next to him and he was completely dressed once more. But Yuugao was missing.

Dread filled him as he realized that though he had woken up, it was the middle of the day, just barely after noon. He _never_ woke up that late on a mission, not even back on the Wave mission. There was only one possible explanation for why he had woken up so late in the day, with Yuugao missing.

She'd drugged him. Not only that, but she had used Genjutsu to make sure it worked.

As a wheezing breathing filtered into the clearing, Naruto leapt out of his sleeping bag, grabbing Hyôrinmaru from the ground beside him and resting his hand on the hilt. He looked over towards the direction of the noise, then immediately dropped his weapon as dread plopped once more down into his stomach.

He rushed over to Yuugao as she collapsed forward, coughing roughly as blood trickled down over her lips. He gently lowered her to the ground, supporting her head with his arms and desperately trying to figure out what was wrong with her when the only injuries she had were a few scrapes and bruis—

Kabuto.

Even as he realized who had put his teammate in the condition she was in, he also realized that there was nothing he could do to save her. Someone of Kabuto's caliber, someone with enough medic skills to severe arteries and block chakra from reaching vital organs, would not leave enough behind for someone else to heal.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered. He tried to shush her, frantically asking Hyôrinmaru to help heal her the way he had Hinata, but all he got was a firm shake of the dragon's head. She was beyond help. "I'm…sorry, Naruto-kun. Sorry that I…tricked you…"

She coughed again, "When…Jiraiya said…Kabuto was… behind all this, I…I wanted to kill him by myself…so I…drugged…you…"

"It's alright," he said soothingly, "I forgive you."

"Just like…Hayate-kun," She smiled, looking at something far in the distance, something he couldn't see. "It's…It's all…just a…"

Her lips formed over the next word, but no sound came out. He knew what she was trying to say, though, and whispered it back to her, "Yeah…Just a dream…"

With a peaceful smile on her face, her eyes slowly closed and she fell limp in his arms. The heavens opened as he stared up at the sky and released thick, heavy rain.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

As Jiraiya awoke, he sat up from the ground and yawned, stretching his arms wide. Once he had regained focus of the world, he blinked and rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. What he saw didn't change, so he blinked owlishly once again and wondered if he was sane.

"Hey," Naruto said lightly, a peaceful smile on his face, "got any food?"

"Uh…" Jiraiya looked over at the pot of stew boiling over the fire, figuring that Itachi or Hawk had probably set it up. "Sure…"

Smiling, Naruto dished himself up some of the stew and dug in. He ate quickly, that damnable smile still on his face to the point that Jiraiya wondered if it wasn't pasted on. Through a full mouth, the blonde mumbled, "This food tastes terrible, as always."

Jiraiya frowned; it was _his_ recipe after all, "If it tastes so terrible, then why are you eating it?"

Naruto swallowed and threw Jiraiya a grin, "They say hunger is the best spice."

Jiraiya didn't bother to comment as the blonde simply continued to shovel food down his throat. When he was finally done eating some ten minutes later, Naruto burped and let out a sigh, then glanced at his aged companion, "Have you heard this story?"

Taking a deep breath, he said, "There once was a tiger-striped cat. This cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives, and he was owned by various people who he didn't really care for. The cat wasn't afraid to die. Then, one day, the cat became a stray cat, which meant he was free. He met a white female cat and the two of them spent their days together happily."

He took another breath, making sure to make it dramatic to add flare to his story, "Well, years passed and the white cat grew weak and died of old age. The tiger-striped cat cried a million times and then he died, too. Except this time, he didn't come back to life."

"Hm," Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully, "that's a good story."

"I _hate_ that story," Naruto said.

Jiraiya arched an eyebrow, blinking in confusion, "Huh?"

"I never liked cats. You know that, sensei," Naruto smirked.

Realization dawned, and he chuckled humorously, "Oh yeah. Heh. Heh heh. Heh heh heh."

Naruto soon joined in and it erupted into a full blown cackle the likes of which he hadn't felt in years. As they continued to laugh ridiculously, Naruto stood and started to walk away, still laughing at whatever the two of them thought was funny. As his humor died down, Jiraiya called, "Hey, Naruto!"

Naruto stopped, "Yeah?"

"I just want to ask you one thing," he said seriously.

Naruto still smiled, "What's that?"

"Is it for the girl?"

There was a pause as the mood immediately turned sour, "She's dead, Sensei. There's nothing more I can do for her now."

With those haunting, pain-filled words hanging in the air, he walked back into the trees and vanished. Absently, Jiraiya wondered if he'd ever see him again.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto landed silently on the large wall, much like the wall that had guarded Echigoya Rokube's little corner of the world as well as the place Kimura Izaemon had inhabited. _This _wall, however, was much larger and much more intricate than those other walls. This wall was a wall worthy of a royal castle.

Indeed, that was what this wall guarded; a large, tiered castle with at least four floors and reaching at least four stories. Several guards were in place around the perimeter as well, protecting their liege from any outside threats. They were all samurai, but he could see a couple of ninja perched atop the roof of the vast structure.

Hopping down off of the section of wall he'd climbed atop, Naruto squatted down in the shadows, trying his best to remain hidden from the scores of enemies littered across the sprawling grounds. As soon as the guards defending the first of many gates turned around, he took his opportunity and dashed towards them.

The first guard lost his head, quite literally, and fell to the ground with a vicious spray of blood. As the second guard turned to investigate the sounds that had undoubtedly caught his attention, Naruto thrust forward with his sword, catching the second man in the stomach with a brutal stab that literally destroyed his insides.

To make sure that the man couldn't speak or even die slowly, Naruto pulled out a kunai from the holster on his right leg and jammed it up through the man's chin and the roof of his mouth, doubtlessly severing his tongue. Pulling his knife loose, Naruto allowed the man to fall to the ground and finish dying.

"Savage anger," Naruto hissed as he dumped both bodies into the mote on the other side of the wall, "anger and misery."

Making two clones and sending them to the small house that was also on the grounds, he crossed the small bridge cautiously, peeking around the corners of the other wall on the opposite end. Two more guards; two more men who would die because Kabuto had decided to kill one of Naruto's friends.

Sheathing Hyôrinmaru as he grabbed two kunai, he dashed out between the two sentinels and threw the kunai in his hands. With two identical, sickening thuds and two identical spurts of red blood, both of the guards collapsed to the side, dead, with a kunai sticking out of their skull and their eyes wide open in death.

_He stalked up behind the kunoichi, holding his sword ready. She was pacing around her room, but she wasn't looking behind the unfolded wooden blind that allowed her to change in privacy. If he were to be honest, he didn't think she deserved that Chûnin vest she was wearing. You had to be an idiot to ignore a very good hiding place._

_As she turned her back to him, he leapt out of his spot and raised his weapon silently. She didn't even realize he was there until it was too late for her to do anything and she had a sword sticking out of her chest, piercing her heart. He pulled his sword loose with a spray of blood, watching as the warm corpse slid to the floor, releasing a steady flow of crimson onto the wood tile._

Throwing the other two guards into the mote, Naruto turned a single eye back at them as the dead bodies slowly floated away, "By death's invitation."

_He descended upon the second kunoichi, sword flashing as she looked up at him. She barely dodged out of the way, but she managed to escape his steel. She squared herself, moving into a taijutsu stance that he didn't recognize at all. He scowled. He needed to finish this quickly. With a soft swoosh, he disappeared and rematerialized behind her. Before she could so much as register his presence, he had already lopped her head off. She fell to the ground, blood squirting out of her neck and very much dead._

Pulling a kunai from his holster, Naruto dashed towards the next gate the one that would bring him closer to the towering castle that he needed to infiltrate. As the guard turned in his direction and seemed to see him, he threw his kunai and watched as it sunk into the man's forehead, knocking him backwards and to the ground, dead.

Before the second guard could even turn around and register that he was there, a second kunai had appeared in his hand and already been thrown. It sunk into his neck, cutting his vocal cords and severing his throat. With a defeated and desperate gurgle, he fell to the ground, suffocating on his own blood.

Naruto turned at the gate, dashing with full speed up the winding steps that would take him to the castle. As a shadow looming around the corner courtesy of a torch revealed the presence of yet another guard, Naruto drew his sword and lopped off the guard's head, killing him instantly. The body fell to the wayside, but Naruto paid it no mind.

The mission specs that had led Yuugao to travel to this place and, inevitably, to her death were flashing through Naruto's eyes: Yakushi Kabuto is currently leading the Otogakure army while Orochimaru recovers. Assassinate Yakushi Kabuto and cripple the enemy forces. Mission Rank: S.

Yuugao had taken this mission for the purpose of killing the man who had murdered her fiancé, Gekkô Hayate. While she hadn't been lying about needing comfort from Naruto, she had had an ulterior motive behind it: while Itachi and Hawk would respect her wishes, Naruto would never have let her do this mission alone.

The blonde raced up the stairs, the castle tiers coming closer and closer as he continued upwards. On the last leg, however, he heard voices at the end of the path, revealing the presence of samurai guards. He scowled. He didn't have time to eliminate all of the men who guarded Kabuto. That would take him all night.

Just as he was about to round the corner and run into another pair of guards, he leapt upwards and vanished without a trace, the samurai sentinels none the wiser. He landed and reappeared behind one of the ninja guards on the first tier. Silently, he impaled the shinobi on his gleaming silver blade.

Knowing that he couldn't escape the guards below if he just let the body drop, he held onto it after sheathing his weapon and grabbed two kunai. He threw them both with all of his might, then drew a third and shifted slightly. He threw that one as well, this time in a direction across from his.

The first two kunai buried themselves into the backs of the samurai guards' skulls, killing them and severing their medulla oblongata. The third kunai sunk into the throat of the ninja guarding the opposite end of the first tier. He fell from his perch and off the castle entirely with a silent gurgle and a violent spurt of blood.

Letting the first body go, he allowed it to fall to the unforgiving earth. He vanished again, reappearing behind an alert ninja on the second tier. He decapitated the Nin and let the body fall, throwing the head towards the shocked ninja guarding the other side of the tier. With that shinobi preoccupied with his comrade's head, Naruto buried a kunai in his head right between his eyes.

There were two more ninja on the third tier, each one dying as Naruto sliced their heads off. They too fell off of their tier, and then the castle all together, one landing in a pile at the base, and the other landing in the mote with a distant splash. Though they had been slightly on guard because of his suspicious noises, they weren't prepared to face him.

The ninja perched on the fourth tier were a lot more prepared than those who died before them, but they were only B-rank ninja at best (and Itachi had insisted that Naruto be able to match him in hand seal speed before letting him go on _any_ mission) so they were taken care of quickly. He watched, almost satisfied, as the last of the shinobi sentinels fell with a silent cry.

Leaping through the rear window, Naruto crept up towards the silver-haired teen that seemed as though he were meditating on the floor. As he raised his sword to deliver the final blow, the teen's lips suddenly twitched into a smirk and he chuckled, "My, my, Naruto-kun, coming up here all by yourself to kill me."

Kabuto's cruel eyes snapped open, "Just like Yuugao-san did."

Naruto swung for his neck angrily, but Kabuto had already moved out of the way, still chuckling like he was the funniest person in the world. A sinister blue glow lit up the silver-haired teen's hands as he settled into a taijutsu stance, still smiling that damnable smirk as though he were merely _toying_ with the one his master called Dragon God.

"You caught me by surprise last time," was all Kabuto said.

Naruto snarled, "Bankai!"

In an instant, the roof exploded, disintegrating into the wind. The floor had become slick ice as wings, claws, a tail, and a dragon's head made of frozen liquid formed on Naruto's arms, legs, and back. Naruto's eyes had transformed just as quickly to frozen glaciers with thin slits for pupils.

"I know something you don't know, Naruto-kun," Kabuto said in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled loudly.

"Yuugao-chan was pregnant," Kabuto teased him. "Oh, it was only a few hours along, but I could still tell. She was carrying your child, Naruto-kun."

"Silence yourself!" Naruto replied angrily. "Before I do it for you!"

With a swing of his sword, dragon made of subzero water soared towards Kabuto, who jumped away as the massive beast. It flew away and into the sky, where it became obscured by the dark clouds that followed Naruto's transformation. Kabuto turned his gaze back to Naruto, his smirk widening.

"Go away, Naruto-kun," Kabuto said calmly. "Return to what you were: a memory of a pathetic Genin with no talent whatsoever."

"I will," Naruto stated lowly, finishing in a roar of, "never be a memory!"

He stabbed his sword into the frozen floor, screaming, "Hantei!" (Judgment)

A jagged pillar of ice rose up at astounding speeds, consuming Kabuto and trapping him where he stood, a look of surprise and horror on his face. Several sharp spikes speared through it in a circle, stabbing through Kabuto's arms and legs and everything nonfatal. Naruto twisted his sword and several more pillars rose, shifting into icy blue dragons with red eyes and gaping maws filled with sharp teeth.

Still more pillars rose in between the spaces separating the dragons from each other. They were tall, reaching towards the sky and disappearing into the clouds. He lifted his sword and both the pillars and the dragons stiffened, as if standing at attention before their master. His voice colder than the arctic itself, he said, "Teme wo Yarakasu." (You are guilty)

His sword twisted and immediately the pillars dove in on Kabuto, encasing him in another layer of ice. They melded together until they looked like a single round, tall pillar, reaching towards the heavens. Another twist of his sword and the dragons rushed in, too, melding into the pillar like ornate statues.

With a cold fury, Naruto rushed forward and stabbed into the pillar, crying, "Shine! (Die!)

A blade of ice shot forth from the point of contact where Naruto's blade had bit mere centimeters into the pillar, stabbing forward and out the other side of the pillar. It was stabbed through Kabuto's heart, and would stay there until the traitorous ninja died. The best part about it, the part that satisfied Naruto the most, was that the ice would prevent Kabuto from healing anyway.

As the wings and other appendages melted away and the ice on the floor dissipated, leaving only the pillar, a voice spoke from the shadows, "Well done, Ryûjin, and welcome to the class of S-rank."

A kunai flew from Naruto's hands, but Shigi the Silent caught it between his fingers effortlessly. His face didn't twist into a smile nor did his expression change at all. He simply stood their, a long scar down the center of his chest that seemed almost invisible next to the creases his muscles made.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto growled.

"I cannot say hello to my favorite ANBU?" Shigi asked innocently, his tone never changing.

"I suppose you could," Naruto ceded, "if you had a favorite, anyways."

In an instant, they were at each others' throats, metal clanging as they swung their weapons at one another. Naruto's vertical slash was blocked by Shigi's horizontal one, and his second slash, a diagonal one, was blocked by Shigi's vertical slash. Pressing their blades together inescapably, Naruto curled his fist and launched it at his enemy's head.

It hit head on and Shigi's head jerked back, even if the rest of his body remained motionless. Shock filled Naruto as Shigi brought his head back down and looked at him impassively, enough that it distracted him from Shigi's fist until it was too late. Naruto went flying, but righted himself in midair and flung his palm out, crying, "Hadô no Sanjuusan: Sôkatsui!"

Shigi jumped over the ball of blue fire, landing effortlessly, even as Naruto cried out once more, "Sôkatsui!"

Dashing to the left allowed him to dodge the second attack and Naruto called out its name once again, "Sôkatsui!"

Shigi dodged to the right of the third one, but wasn't prepared for it to be a feint as Naruto appeared in front of him and knocked him into the sky with a powerful uppercut. The blonde followed him into free fall, jumping past him and attempting to deliver an axe-kick that would devastate him if it landed.

He crossed his arms in front of himself and let them take the brunt of the blow, tumbling downward towards the floor of the heavily damaged castle. He righted himself at the last second, landing on his feet and hunched over as the boy fighting him came down at an amazing speed.

At the last second, Shigi raised his sword and defended against Naruto's strike with a horizontal block, pushing the blonde's sword away with his own. As Naruto stumbled backwards, Shigi rushed forward with a vicious stab, attempting to get the boy right through the tender, almost defenseless stomach.

Twisting his foot, Naruto angled his body as best he could. Shigi's sword slid along the cream chest armor and never penetrated, though a straight stab would have. Going with the twist, Naruto brought his foot up and landed a heavy kick against Shigi's chest, knocking him backwards and into Kabuto's pillar.

As Shigi stood straight and went through familiar hand seals, Naruto's eyes widened and he jumped, leaping over top of a giant fireball that would have easily roasted him. As the fire petered out, Naruto threw a kunai down at the defenseless Shigi, then disappeared in a blur and a soft swoosh.

Shigi knocked the kunai away effortlessly, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge or block Naruto's stab, which sliced through his left shoulder and made that arm practically useless. Smirking at the impassive ninja, Naruto slowly pulled the blade out, coated with blood, just barely noticing the small wince that crossed Shigi's expression.

Shigi immediately lashed out, Naruto just barely dodging as his blade sliced a thin cut into the blonde's already whisker-marked cheeks. Ducking beneath his enemy's guard, Naruto landed a harsh palm strike on Shigi's nearly bare abdomen. The air left the dark-haired ninja's mouth with an audible swooshing sound.

Taking advantage of his enemy's surprised state, Naruto landed an uppercut on Shigi's chin, then brought his leg up and launched the pale man backward, where he skidded to a stop on the hard floor. He stood up weakly, panting and his face actually screwed up in pain, if only slightly.

Walking up to the downed man, who clearly wouldn't be getting up for a while, Naruto raised his sword and prepared to make the final blow. Shigi merely looked up at him with those stoic eyes and asked, "Why do you so desperately cling to life? That I do not understand."

Naruto didn't answer, he merely swung his sword.

"Stop!" a familiar voice called. Naruto's sword halted mere inches from decapitating Shigi, the blade shining in the moonlight. Shigi didn't even let out a breath of relief.

Jiraiya walked up from somewhere, though where he had come from was unknown to the blonde. Had he been here all along, waiting for this moment, or the moment when Naruto was defeated? Had he just arrived and merely wanted to interrogate this mysterious ninja? Was Shigi actually an ally in disguise?

As the old man walked forward and glared at the defeated Shigi, his eyes cold and stern, the last question was answered. Shigi was most certainly not an ally at all. In fact, Jiraiya was glaring at the man is if he were Konoha's worst enemy. That still left several questions to be answered, but Naruto figured he'd learn in a moment.

"Tell me," Jiraiya said, his voice brooking no argument, "I wish to know. Was this all the work of Aizen Sousuke?"

A smile actually curled on Shigi's lips as he dragged himself into a kneeling position, "So sharp, as always, Jiraiya-sama. Yet…so naïve…"

Fire lit up over the floors, reaching a meter tall instantly, as if it had been burning for half an hour. Shigi turned his gaze over to Naruto, "We shall meet again."

Without another word, Shigi leapt backwards into the flames and vanished from sight. At hearing Jiraiya sigh, Naruto looked up at his sensei questioningly. Jiraiya shook his head and turned around. Naruto followed after him and the two of them vanished into the shadows of the night.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach or Cowboy Bebop (The Cat story)**

**Naruto did get some training done, but it happened off-screen. No one actually wants to read about his training when the action-packed, realistic ANBU missions are more exciting, right? For those of you who would ask, no, he won't be ANBU much longer. He quits right after he gets home. Yuugao's death hit him hard.  
1.) — Naruto uses Bankai so often because he often faces enemies he wants to **_**crush**_**.  
2.) — Zettaireido (Absolute Zero) is a Bankai attack that will appear in the sequel.**

**And those who picked it out get a cookie and a pat on the back. The missions were all based on Tenchu Z. I had particular fun with that game and thought it appropriate for "Naruto Gaiden". No, I don't own Tenchu Z either. **

_**Hic veni, da mihi mortem iterum… (Come here, give me death once more)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	8. Twilight Sea

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**For NaruHina version, see "Chapter VIII: B-Side".**

**Chapter Eight: Twilight Sea**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The large, thick wooden doors opened with a loud, agonized creek, revealing the lively village of Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village. Five figures stepped through the gate, three dressed in black and the fourth dressed in red and green with long white hair. The fifth member was dressed in an extravagant but dirty white kimono. The moment they had entered, one of the figures turned to another and bowed.

"Taichô," Hawk said respectfully, "I must report to Hokage-sama."

"Go ahead, Kimimaro," Naruto said. As Kimimaro straightened and leapt onto a rooftop, Naruto cupped a hand over his mouth and yelled. "And I'm not your Taichô anymore!"

A chuckle from one of his other companions brought the full force of Naruto's glare, "You find something funny, Niisan?"

"Not at all," Itachi assured him unconvincingly, waving his hand dismissively. "I am merely admiring the depth of Kaguya-san's loyalty."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto jumped up onto a tall, thick wooden signpost and took a deep breath as he spread his arms wide. Eyes bright, he took in the view of his beloved village, the very village he had left nearly two and a half years ago to get some training done. He laughed suddenly, a broad grin stretching his lips, "I've missed this place!"

"He's certainly cheerful today," Jiraiya muttered under his breath.

"Maybe so," Mitsunari said, the amusement in his voice clear, "but we wouldn't have him any other way."

Eyes alight, the blonde continued, "It hasn't changed a bit!"

Naruto suddenly blinked as he caught sight of the Hokage monument, then grinned, "So they've added Tsunade-baachan's ugly mug to the mountain, huh? Heh!"

"You've certainly grown a lot," a familiar voice commented. Naruto looked back to find a silver-haired Jônin that he'd recognize in his sleep, "haven't you, Naruto-kun?"

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto leapt off the pole and landed on the steel awning next to his previous teacher. "You haven't changed at all! Still reading Ero-sennin's dirty books, eh?"

Naruto's eyebrows jumped up, "That reminds me."

He rummaged around in his kunai pouch before pulling out a familiar orange book with a different and new title. Kakashi grabbed it eagerly, caressing the hard spine gently as Naruto explained, "It's the latest in the series. The newest one in three years; Icha Icha Tactics. I didn't like it that much, but I think you'll get more enjoyment out of it than I did."

A giggle reached Naruto's ears and he spun around, locking gazes with a pair of soft lavender eyes. In an instant, he had moved to their owner, Hyuga Hinata, and swept her into his arms, showering her face with kisses. She stopped him, and for a moment, he was afraid he had done something wrong. Then she pressed her lips to his in a mind-blowing kiss that sent his brain reeling.

Her lips were incredibly soft and moist and he could distinctly taste cinnamon, too. It was a passionate kiss filled with love and happiness and a touch of sadness. She had obviously missed him greatly during his long time away. He hesitated slightly, but she didn't seem to notice. Should he tell her about Yuugao?

No, he decided firmly. Yuugao was dead and gone and no good would come of mentioning what he had done for her; the physical comfort he had given. Yuugao was gone and he would not stain her memory with hate, jealousy, and betrayal. What he had done for her and with her would remain secret.

When his lungs began to burn, Naruto pulled back and gazed lovingly at Hinata's flushed face, smiling brightly. As she let him go, he placed one more kiss on her forehead and stepped back to admire her growth. And growth was indeed the correct term to apply to the changes Hinata had gone through.

Though Naruto wasn't the tallest person in the world, he was about level with Kakashi and Hinata was only a few centimeters shorter than him, her eyes on level with his nose. She had filled out considerably and had smooth, womanly curves the like of which Anko would be jealous. Her breasts were bigger than he remembered, but they weren't obscenely large like Tsunade's, and her hair reached down to the middle of her back.

Her attire had changed drastically, though he did note that it fit a taijutsu user like her much better than her old clothes did. The black top was sleeveless and stopped just a few centimeters above to top of her pants, revealing the skin-tight white undershirt that the black top hid. Her pants were black as well and clung to her legs like a second skin, cut off just slightly above her knees. He could see black gloves poking out of her pocket.

"What," Naruto turned around to see a smirking Tenten, "none for me?"

The blonde's lips curled to match hers, his voice teasing, "I don't know. I'm not sure you deserve it. Have you been a good girl while I was gone?"

The air left Naruto's lungs as Tenten lunged into his arms, hugging him tightly. She gave him a quick peck on the lips, then rested her chin on his bare shoulder. Smiling tenderly, Naruto gripped her tightly as she whispered three heartfelt words into his ear, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he whispered back. "You and Hinata are my lifelines."

A voice spoke up and Naruto could practically feel the sarcasm dripping from it, "Well, it certainly seems like Naruto's closer to reviving his clan than I am reviving mine."

A blush lighting up his cheeks, Naruto turned and stuck his tongue out at Sasuke, "At least I'm not some stuck up idiot who can't get a clue!"

Whatever else the blonde planned on saying died in his throat as he caught sight of Sakura hanging off of Sasuke's arm, obviously just back from a date, and glaring at him. Sasuke merely tilted his head back and smirked victoriously, as if to say, 'You were saying?' Naruto simply waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"So," he smirked, "what have _you_ two been up to for the past two and a half years? Can I expect any godchildren?"

A vicious blush lit up Sasuke and Sakura's faces, coloring their pale cheeks a violent red. Naruto resisted the urge to leer. One point to him.

"Oh that would be adorable!" Tenten gushed, almost as if on cue. "I would _love_ to have little Uchiha kids running around calling me Tenten-oba-chan!"

"Oh," Hinata chimed in, "but how would that work? Isn't Sakura the current midwife at the hospital? She'd probably have quite a bit of difficulty delivering her own baby."

Laughing as Sasuke and Sakura's blushes spread further and darkened, Naruto said, "Okay, that's enough. We've tortured them enough for now."

"Jiraiya," Tsunade walked up from behind her teammate, gazing fondly at the assemble group as they continued to bicker and joke, "Naruto's become more like you these past couple years, hasn't he?"

Jiraiya refrained from answering, causing Tsunade to sigh, "The nostalgia ends here, though. Kakashi…"

The book in the Copy Ninja's hand snapped shut, catching the attention of the five teens, who looked at him, Team Seven in surprise. Suddenly serious, he said, "Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, Sakura-san. From now on, you three will be coming with me on team-related missions. It's different than before. It's not Teacher and Pupil any longer. Starting today, we're considered equal. Naruto, you especially, considering you were promoted to Jônin last year."

"Wait," Sasuke said, looking at Kakashi skeptically, "Naruto was promoted to Jônin? Isn't there some sort of exam or something for that?"

"No," Kakashi said, shaking his head slightly, "Jônin are appointed, not selected from an exam. Generally, you have to do something to prove you're Jônin level before you can earn the rank, but the Hokage can promote whoever he or she deems fit (within reason). Speaking of which, Naruto, what _did_ you do to get promoted?"

Naruto grinned viciously, "I mastered the Rasengan."

Kakashi's visible eye widened, "Did you…?"

Naruto nodded, answering the unfinished question, "Shape and Elemental manipulation. It took me three months."

Blinking, Kakashi cleared his throat noisily, "Right, like I said, you guys are considered equal from this point on."

Kakashi reached into his pocket, pulling out two bells, "But first…well, I'm curious as to how you guys have come along. The rules are the same as before. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you won't be able to get the bells."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all smirked.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The clearing was familiar, almost painfully so. The three training logs sat stock still amidst the short grass and the patches of bare dirt. The river was quiet, but could still be heard if one sat down and listened to it. It trickled along at its own pace, ignorant of the wildlife around it and uncaring of the four humans who stood a short distance away.

"You guys know the rules," Kakashi repeated, standing with his book open once more. "You have until sunrise tomorrow to take these bells from me."

A thought seemed to strike Kakashi, "Ah, that's right. This is the place where we, Team Seven, first trained, isn't it? Ironic, huh?"

The orange book snapped shut, "Well, then. Shall we begin? Oh, right. Naruto, no Bankai."

Naruto's eyebrow twitched, which Kakashi seemed to notice, "You know as well as I that using that in this place will be too noticeable. Plus…well, I'd prefer not to explain why I'm in the hospital frozen solid."

Naruto's lips suddenly quirked into a smirk, "You're not going to read the book this time, Kakashi-sensei?"

"No. I get the feeling," Kakashi lifted his headband up, revealing the swirling red Sharingan in his left eye, "I'm going to have to take you three seriously."

"Coming from the legendary Copy Ninja," Sasuke said, smirking as his own eyes flashed red, "I suppose we should take that as a compliment."

Sakura slipped on a pair of gloves, "You sure you can take this, Kakashi-sensei?"

Naruto drew his sword, point down, twirling it in his fingers until he had it in the correct grip. The metal of his hitai-ate glinted from his right biceps, an eager grin twitching at the corner of his lips but not revealing itself, "Let's see just how far two and a half years has allowed me to advance, eh, Aibô?"

Kakashi closed his right eye and all was suddenly silent on the nearly abandoned training ground. Then, in a flash, Sasuke dug into his shuriken holster and let loose four of the tiny black throwing stars. Kakashi ducked, allowing the metal stars to zip over top of his head with several centimeters of clearance.

Fluidly, he moved back up, twisting around and throwing out a backhand. With a clang, Naruto's shimmering silvery sword clashed with the thin dense plate on the back of Kakashi's black glove. Twisting once more, Kakashi suddenly moved away, releasing the muscles in his arm. Naruto stumbled forward slightly without the resistance and Kakashi leapt away as a tremor split the earth where he had just been standing.

Growling lightly, Naruto swung his sword, releasing a beastly dragon that roared as it soared towards the grey-haired Jônin. Scowling in determination beneath his mask, Kakashi flipped through three hand seals and held his hand out as the dragon came closer. Lightning danced along his hand as the beast's nose came down, splattering on contact with the volatile electricity.

Dipping his other hand into his kunai pouch, Kakashi spun around once more, blocking the slash of Sasuke's full length katana. Taking advantage of Sasuke's occupied hands, Kakashi lashed out with a kick that the black haired boy tried to dodge. It collided anyway, with enough force to knock the Uchiha back quite a distance, but it hadn't been as direct a hit as the Jônin had intended.

Flipping backwards, Kakashi watched as Sakura stumbled over her own feet, overextending her punch because there wasn't a body there to receive it. Landing behind her, he hit her with a solid palm strike, which sent her into the arms Sasuke as he tried to renew his charge. Both lost their balance and fell onto the ground.

Jumping up, Kakashi leapt over another dragon, using his chakra manipulation skills to jump off of the beast and dodge the bolt of white lightning that passed just barely under his feet. Reaching once more into his kunai pouch, he threw it with all his strength towards his blonde colleague (and Naruto had indeed earned the right to be a colleague). It was easily fended off.

Kakashi ducked under two more shuriken, watching as Naruto effortlessly batted them away (with his bare hands, no less). He lashed out with a sweeping backwards kick, which Sasuke jumped over and Sakura blocked. Twisting, he brought his other foot slamming into her shoulder, sending her back several meters.

Standing back up, he dropped his shoulder and let Sasuke's sword fly past his face. Grabbing the boy's exposed wrist, he threw the Uchiha across the clearing and into a tree. Twisting again, he brought his hand up, Naruto's blade scraping against the metal of the plated glove. Kakashi's eyes went wide, however, when a glowing palm was held in front of his face.

"Hadô no Sanjuusan," Naruto said calmly, "Sôkatsui."

There was an explosion of blue fire, sending several wooden chunks sprawling all over the clearing. They stopped moving after rolling several times, smoking lightly from the heat and power used to splinter the wooden log. Naruto felt his lips twitch in eagerness and no small amount of pride.

Turning around, Naruto smirked at Kakashi, who was staring at him seriously, though his posture was relaxed. Holding his sword up, Naruto spoke four words that sent a chill down Kakashi's spine, "Ten wo Tôjiro, Hyôrinmaru." (Rule the Heavens, Ice Ring)

As soon as the words left his lips, the sword in his hands transformed. The blade was thin and long, but wider than a normal Tsurugi. The blade itself looked to be made of blue crystal, but it was (obviously) densely packed ice, which, Kakashi was sure, was hard as diamond. It was straight and double edged, glistening in the midday sun.

The hilt had changed as well, from a golden hand guard to two sapphire prongs shaped vaguely reminiscent of broken glass. The hilt itself was also crystalline and smooth, colored a mesmerizing blue not unlike Naruto's eyes. There was an aura about the entire thing, an aura that spoke of power, "Hyôrinmaru Nishiki." (Hyôrinmaru Second Style)

Shifting his grip, Naruto jabbed his sword into the ground. Immediately, spikes of hard ice jutted out of the ground, continuing to pop up at a rapid and dangerous pace in a straight row as they headed for the silver-haired Jônin. Kakashi, recognizing the danger, leapt up and over his blonde comrade, watching as the spikes pierced through a tree and immediately froze it.

His escape was cut short as Naruto tore off one of the prongs on his hilt and it lengthened into a spike that he then threw. Taking a deep breath, Kakashi flashed through hand seals and blew out a large fireball into the air, propelling him out of the spike's path and towards the ground. He flipped in midair and landed with a harsh thud that sent pain lancing up his legs.

As Kakashi leaned backwards to avoid the vicious stab Naruto had aimed at his head, he became alarmed at the sound of fabric being cut by something very sharp, something he would have missed were he anyone else. He looked down at his waist, but was too late to stop Sakura from grabbing the two bells that Sasuke had cut free.

And then, Kakashi laughed, "Okay, okay, I lost. You guys deserve this."

Standing straight as Naruto sheathed his sword, Kakashi reached into his kunai pouch and grabbed something. Sakura and Naruto moved a bit closer to get a better look but Sasuke was being his usual self and only peering out of the corner of his eye. Opening his palm, Kakashi revealed three perfectly shaped gems.

"These," he explained as he handed one to each of his students, "are gems mined and cut specifically for ninja. Look at the patterns they give off when they reflect light and tell me what you see."

"I see a hexagon," Naruto said, squinting slightly as he examined the oval-shaped, sapphire blue gem in his hand.

"I see a pentagon," Sasuke said tonelessly, looking at his gem dispassionately.

"Me too," Sakura told them, peering at her gem like it was a crystal ball.

"Naruto, Jiraiya told you how chakra paper is made, right?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded. "These gems are made essentially the same way. However, because they are non-living, they retain the energy they absorb instead of using it and, eventually, gain special abilities. The type and quality of the gem determines what these abilities are. These particular gemstones are called Protect Gems, which are made from sapphires, and amplify your skin to make it harder to damage.

"In other words, these gems protect you from other elemental jutsu; in particular, the ones that cause damage to the skin and surface of the body. Fire jutsu are a good example. They cannot, however, protect you from the paralyzing effects of lightning chakra. The quality of the gem determines its strength, and quality can be observed by how it reflects light. An S Class stone has a hexagon pattern, an A Class stone has a star pattern, a Class B stone has a pentagonal pattern, and so on and so forth. S Class stones, I've heard, can negate all elemental Jutsu C-rank and below."

"Wicked," Naruto whispered. "So how do they work?"

"Simple," Kakashi eye-smiled, unzipping his vest a little to show a hexagon-patterned gem hanging around his neck, "you have to wear them."

Sasuke looked appalled at the idea, but Naruto ignored him and continued to ask questions, "So every ninja has one of these stones?"

"No," Kakashi shook his head. "They're rare and abundant at the same time. Out of all the Elemental countries, Chakra Gems can only be found in the Land of Earth and — by default — Iwagakure, the Land of Wind and Sunagakure, and the Land of Fire and Konoha. Different gems are found in different countries, too. As I understand it, Iwagakure has more Spirit Gems, which allows them to more easily manipulate chakra and the elements, earth in particular. We have more Protect Gems and Suna has more Power Gems."

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura interrupted, "I don't understand. How can they be rare and abundant at the same time?"

"They're rare, in that they can only be found in those three countries," Kakashi explained. "However, they're abundant in that Konoha mines enough of them to supply to about half of the ninja on the active duty roster. They're important enough, though, that only Jônin are issued them and can decide to give them to Chûnin and below."

"Why us, then?" Sasuke asked. "Why are we being given these gems if they're so precious?"

"Orders," Kakashi shrugged. "Tsunade told me that, if you guys could take the bells, you were skilled enough to merit having one. Naruto gets the S Class one because he's earned Jônin and you two are still Chûnin."

Looking up at the sun, Kakashi suddenly stood straight and stretched slightly, saying, "Right. Well, I've got to report to Tsunade, so I'll see you guys later!"

He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto's stomach rumbled, "Ah, man, I'm hungry! You two have fun. I'm going to find Hinata-chan and Tenten-chan and grab a bite to eat!"

He leapt towards the trees and looked ready to take off, but paused, as thinking about something. He turned slightly and grinned, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do! I'm too young to be a godfather!"

As Sakura and Sasuke blushed furiously, he cackled and disappeared into the foliage, Sakura's outraged yell echoing after him.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The streets seemed particularly busy as Naruto walked down them, Hinata on his left and Tenten on his right. People were crowded on the dirt roads, some walking in one direction, others walking in the opposite direction. Some were even foolish enough to carry large stacks of objects that they, at best, could barely see over. Those people seemed unnaturally lucky, as none of them had managed to drop their piles (whether it was merchandise for a store or stuff they had bought).

Some of the people greeted the trio brightly, others even went so far as to address the blonde as 'Naruto-sama' or 'Naruto-denka' (Hinata, of course, received much the same treatment while Tenten got some of it simply for being associated with Naruto). Very few of the many villagers scowled at him or scorned him, and even those that did quailed under Hinata's glare.

"So, you girls up for some Ichiraku's?" he asked his companions with a charming smile. "It's been a while since we've gone there together. I'm pretty sure Ayame's in tears, and Teuchi-jiisan is probably broke without their best customer."

Hinata giggled and an amused smile curled on Tenten's mouth, "Sure. But, as a proper gentleman, you have to pay for everything."

As Naruto's smile drooped slightly in a mock pout, Hinata added, "She's right, Naruto-kun. It's only proper that the man pay for the meal on a date. That means that you have to cater to our appetite."

Giving an exaggerated sigh, Naruto slung his arms over their shoulders and said, "How can I ever say 'no' to the two most beautiful girls in the village? I swear, the odds are stacked against me. Does a guy ever win an argument against a woman?"

"If you truly have to ask that, then you haven't grown nearly as much as I've heard," a familiar lazy voice said. Naruto looked up to see Shikamaru, the ever volatile Temari walking next to him with her large fan strapped to her back. Shikamaru smirked. "For such a clueless and oblivious guy, it's ironic that you managed what most guys only dream about."

Naruto's lips twitched into a smirk as well, his hands moving downwards to wrap around each girl's waist, "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

Shikamaru chuckled, "Right."

Looking around dramatically, the blonde stage whispered, "So, are you guys on a date, too?"

"Y-you're joking!" Temari sputtered, her cheeks stained red. "Why would I go out with such a…! There's a Chûnin Exam, soon. I'm just going back and forth between Konoha and Suna for meetings!"

"And it's troublesome, but I've become an Examiner," Shikamaru said dully, "so I was told to go and see off the messengers from Hidden Sand."

"A Chûnin Exam?" Tenten asked, looking at him incredulously.

"That sure brings back memories," Naruto said, smiling fondly.

"Mm," Hinata leaned up and pecked the blonde on the cheek, "it certainly does."

Squeezing her hip lightly, Naruto turned his attention back to the lazy ninja, "So, how far has everyone else come? Sasuke and Sakura are Chûnin, but I haven't heard how far everyone else got."

"Well, everyone from our class has made Chûnin," Shikamaru told him. "Plus, Hyuga Neji from the class above us, Kankuro from the Sand, and Temari here have already made Jônin. And so have you, from what I've heard. I'd ask how you managed to do something like that, but sitting here and listening to you explain it would be far too troublesome."

"Wait," Naruto said, "then…what happened to Gaara?"

Shikamaru's lips curled into a smirk, "You're going to have trouble believing this, but…"

Naruto's mind stopped working for a second, "You're kidding. Gaara's the Kazekage?"

"Yep," the lazy Chûnin said, "and well liked, from what I understand."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The large, spacious hall was quiet and almost empty. Team Seven stood awaiting a mission to be assigned, Tsunade rustling through each scroll and trying to find one that suited such high skill level. Naruto was fidgeting slightly, his black-gloved right hand clenching and unclenching, as if eager to wield a sword.

Sasuke stood impassively, his arms folded over his chest and his eyes dull and dispassionate. Sakura was staring off into space, her mind wandering to other things and places in her boredom. Kakashi was, predictably (at least his students thought so) reading his oh-so-important little orange book, not letting on that he was alert and focused.

There was a series of pounding footsteps as well as several sharp pants as a pair of heavy oak doors on the side of the room burst open, a haggard woman gasping for breath as she shouted out to the entire group, "Tsunade-sama! It's bad! An organization called Akatsuki has kidnapped Sunagakure's Kazekage-sama!"

Tsunade sighed, suddenly turning deadly serious, "Team Seven, you have a new mission. You are to leave and go immediately to the Hidden Sand Village, find out what the situation is, and then relay it back to here. After that, you are to follow the Sand's instructions and back them up on their endeavor."

She snapped her fingers and a single ANBU was suddenly in the room, kneeling to her with his head bowed in submission. Not turning the slightest, Tsunade addressed him, "Itachi, as a former member of Akatsuki, you know their moves and tactics best. Get dressed back in your normal wear and meet Team Seven at the gates. Your mission is the same as theirs."

Removing his mask, Itachi nodded dutifully, "Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Barely fifteen minutes later found the whole group standing at the gate, packs slung over their backs as they turned around to address the blonde Hokage. Naruto saluted, tucking two necklaces into his sleeveless, zippered, turtleneck vest (one the Shodai's necklace, and the other a thin cord with a blue gem hanging from it).

Iruka smiled, "Do your best."

"Yo!" Everyone spun around to see Jiraiya standing in the path. "Off on a mission, eh, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded firmly, his face etched with unwavering determination. Jiraiya acknowledged his silent answer absently, "Um, more importantly, Tsunade, something terrible has happened. The Sand's Kazekage—"

"I know," Tsunade said gravely. She gestured to the group of five. "That's where I'm sending this motley crew. I got the message not too long ago."

Jiraiya sighed, "Naruto, be careful when it comes to the Akatsuki. I know you can handle yourself well enough — you didn't make Jônin for nothing — but nine on one isn't very good odds."

Naruto's eyes were cold and icy, the blonde's version of blazing anger, "They're after me for whatever reasons they have. This time, I'm going after them."

Jiraiya sighed again, "I know, Naruto, just…Make me a promise. Promise me that you won't use _that_ jutsu unless you don't have anything else you can do. I know you _can_ do it, but you've nowhere near _mastered_ it, especially with the additions you've made. The chakra consumption that it takes from you is only good for three shots."

Naruto looked down for a moment, then stared Jiraiya square in the eye, "I promise. I don't like it, but I promise."

Nodding, the white-haired man turned to one of the dark-haired ninja, "Itachi. Make sure Naruto sticks to his promise. The last thing we need is for him to use it and for Hidden Stone to find out."

Itachi's face was grim, "I understand."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Chiyo frowned, gazing sadly down at the young boy before her, "Poison is my specialty, but even I don't know this one. Sasori has grown quite a lot."

"What should we do?" Baki asked her.

"The only one who has more knowledge of neutralizing poisons than me is the Slug Sennin of Konoha, Tsunade-hime," Chiyo admitted. "During the great war, she could analyze my poisons and fix up an antidote almost instantly. That was rather embarrassing for me. All you can do is call her and ask her to analyze him. You're allied to Konoha now, aren't you?"

"Yes, but…Tsunade-hime is Hokage now, which means that she can't easily leave her village, can she?" Baki said. "Even so…Even if she comes here herself, it takes three whole days to reach the Hidden Sand Village from Konoha. But…but in that case…we don't have the time to wait that long."

He sighed, "For now, we have sent a request to Konoha for a specialist team. It's taking all of our strength just to wait for them to arrive."

"Hmph!" Chiyo scoffed. "Stop relying on other people! You're so dependent on your alliances with other countries, you've become careless in your training, and this is what becomes of it!"

"Becoming dependent," Baki muttered, "that is by no means what we intended to do."

"Why are you dependent and relying on Konoha? Because you didn't put advancement of your own village's power as your first priority!" Chiyo said heatedly. "They are them, we are us! Friendly alliances are just a fabrication! During times like these, all they can do is send us useless underlings. The main point is that…I can't stand that slug woman!"

"Kankuro!" a female voice cried. Six people rushed into the room: two blondes (one female, one male), two raven-haired boys (who just _had_ to be brothers), a pink haired girl, and one tall, masked, grey haired man. Upon seeing the gray-haired man, the last to enter the room, Chiyo's eyes went wide and her mouth curled into a scowl.

"The White Fang of Konoha!" she snarled.

The tall Jônin only had a moment to register her words before she leapt at him with a furious punch. The blond boy, however, had already moved before she could hit him and grabbed both of her fists. With a vicious scowl, he let go of her left hand and moved past her guard as she overextended, landing a harsh palm-strike just beneath her collarbone.

"What the hell are you thinking?" he yelled. "Attacking Kakashi-sensei out of the blue!"

"I remember that time," she said darkly, "Konoha's White Fang…my son's hated enemy…and today, I will get revenge for him!"

Kakashi waved his hands, "Wait a minute! I'm not—!"

"There's no use arguing!" Chiyo shouted angrily.

An old man stepped in front of her, holding his arm out to stop her from dashing forward, "Sister, take a look. There's a strong resemblance, but he isn't Konoha's White Fang."

Chiyo arched an eyebrow in confusion, staring at Kakashi, then broke out in loud cackles, "No way! I knew that! I was just pretending to be stupid!"

"More importantly," the pink haired Sakura said, "Kankuro-san needs to be taken care of quickly!"

Hands glowing with green chakra, Sakura pressed one against his flesh and stretched the other away from his stomach, taking with it globs of dark liquid. She smiled, the dark substance floating above her palm, "Got it!"

The glow faded, "I don't think there's any need to worry anymore. I've removed the poison directly. Now, I have to make an antidote for the little bit left in his body. We can't relax yet. Please gather what I ask for."

"You're a lot like that slug woman," Chiyo said quietly. "That a girl like you would come…"

"That's because Tsunade-sama is my teacher," Sakura said brightly. "And she said that I should come here."

"Sister," the old man said, "time really is slowly flowing by…"

"We have to get moving, though," Naruto said firmly. Chiyo grabbed Sakura by the arm and led her out the door, presumably to find herbs and such. Naruto noted it absently. "As soon as Sakura is done, we need to go after Gaara and the Akatsuki."

"Hold on a moment, Naruto-kun," Itachi said. The gray-haired Jônin nodded gratefully. "We still have a few things that we need to do before we follow after the Akatsuki. We can't just go about, blindly searching for any trace of our enemy. We need to gather a little bit of information, first."

The Copy-nin gave Itachi a thankful look. Naruto was truly a good shinobi, strong and clever, capable of feats of power that sometimes left Kakashi wide-eyed. When it came to his friends, however, nothing was more important than their safety. The blonde would jump into the pits of Hell to pull them back, if need be.

"Do you know where they might have gone?" Sasuke asked Itachi.

The older Uchiha shook his head, "There are several different bases they could have fled to. Trusting me to find them would not be a good idea, as I have no clue where to start looking. Our best bet is to track their trail and follow them. If it was indeed Deidara and Sasori, they will be eager to stay behind and engage us."

Kakashi turned to Baki, "Excuse me, what happened to the pursuit of the Akatsuki after Kankuro-kun's fight?"

"Kankuro went alone," Baki informed him. "There were no others."

Kakashi frowned, "Then we've completely lost them?"

Baki looked down, "Yes, we have."

"Then," the gray-haired man began, "could you lead me to where he fought? The site of his battle? Though I might not look it, I'm an expert in pursuit and tracking. If even the smallest trace of their scent was left behind…"

"That's…not necessary," Kankuro sat up weakly. "There are two of them. One abducted Gaara, so you should follow Gaara's scent. Even assuming they split up, the second one caught a bit of clothing on Karasu's hand."

"Making a success from a failure," Kakashi murmured, "you are indeed a shinobi of the Sand."

"Kankuro," Chiyo was back, "are you absolutely sure that one of the men you followed was Sasori?"

Kankuro looked down, "Yeah. He was Akasuna no Sasori all right. He said so himself."

The door opened and Sakura walked back in, holding a teapot on a small tray. Setting it down on a stone nightstand, she poured the strange substance inside it into a teacup, then handed it to Kankuro, saying, "Here. Drink it all up."

He gulped it down quickly, shuddering at the taste as Sakura continued, "You should be fine now. Until the paralysis ends, however, you shouldn't be moving. You need to get some sleep."

"Let's go, now," Naruto said firmly. "We need to get a move on."

Sakura glared at him and picked up her backpack. Sasuke squashed the glare with his own words, "The idiot's right. Nothing can be accomplished simply by sitting around here and hoping for the best. Let's go."

"They're right," Itachi threw in. "The Akatsuki will take what they want from Kazekage-sama and then throw him away. The extraction process takes a while, but that doesn't buy us nearly enough time to sit around and discuss everything. We need to get going."

The entire group nodded at that and turned to leave.

"Uzumaki…no Namikaze Naruto," Kankuro's voice stopped the blond in his tracks. "Please, save my brother."

There was a pause, a dark, dramatic pause, at those words. The temperature in the room — normally very warm or at least temperate because of the desert — suddenly dropped down to an almost impossible low. Cold fury was palpable, and Kankuro could taste his own fear in the thick air.

"Konoha's Ryûjin is not someone to be merciful against his most hated enemies," Naruto said without turning, his voice icy. There was a presence to him, something that Kankuro decided he could have gone his entire life without feeling and be the happiest man on the planet. "I _will_ bring Gaara back. And I _will_ kill the men who took him."

The room temperature took a steep nosedive, "That's a _promise_."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The ground was soaked as they came upon the Akatsuki's mysterious cave, the water easily knee deep at the very least. The group of six, however, landed atop the water and stood there quite easily: Hatake Kakashi, Namikaze Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi, and the old woman, Chiyo.

Team Gai was already standing in front of the cave, breaking their gazes from the large stone boulder that guarded the entrance. Tenten's face brightened at the sight of Naruto, but as she caught the look on her face, worry glanced over her features. The blonde was scowling darkly, his hand clenching anxiously. His rage and killing intent was barely restrained and his pupils had already become slits.

Gai smirked in a friendly manner, "You're late, Kakashi."

"Well," Kakashi replied smoothly, "we ran into a bit of trouble on the way. Itachi said his name was Hidan."

"Naruto-kun!" Lee said excitedly. "Sakura-san!"

"Right!" Gai said confidently. He turned to the large boulder. "Let's do it, Kakashi!"

They never had the chance to even try, however, before the sudden feeling of paralysis flooded their limbs. It wasn't Kanashibari no Jutsu, it was far too potent to be something so easily broken out of. No, this feeling was that of a powerful beast, a dragon the likes of which could cleave steel with his teeth.

"He's dead," Naruto said, exhaling shakily. The entire group had frozen. "His spiritual pressure just vanished. There are still some Reishi lingering about, but that's all it is. Gaara is…Gaara's dead."

His fists clenched and the sky darkened, "They…they…I…I won't let them…I won't…I won't let them get away with this!"

His hands were a blur, moving so fast that only Itachi could see which seals he was using. There was a crack like thunder as he finished and several of the shinobi present cringed as the blonde's bones popped and his muscles tore, becoming denser, stronger beneath his skin. A single black-feathered wing bloomed from his right shoulder, folded against his body. Something new happened, however, and his sunny blonde hair paled into bright silver, retaining its spikiness.

The transformation complete, Naruto looked down at his hand, his voice deep, smooth, and seductive as he spoke, "Sixty percent."

He lifted cyan eyes with slit pupils to glare at the rock before him, "A five seal barrier…? This won't stop me."

He drew his sword and Kakashi watched as it became the strange ice sword again with the simple verbal command of, "Hyôrinmaru Nishiki."

With a dangerous look on his face, Naruto slashed at the boulder once, his blade moving in a diagonal arc. There were a few seconds of silence as everyone waited for something to happen, then the paper seal split in half and fell to the ground, followed a mere second later by a bisected boulder. Everyone's eyes were wide as the darkness of the cave glared at them.

Kakashi leaned over to Itachi, "Is this the jutsu…?"

"No," Itachi shook his head, "but I don't think Jiraiya-sama knew it would go this far."

As sunlight slowly revealed the large cave, two vaguely human sized figures could be seen in the dark, one sitting and one hunched over. A third figure lay on the ground, sat upon by the first man and motionless. A large bird stood a few meters away from the mismatched trio, staring at the Konoha group with wide, unnatural eyes.

"Well then," the first man said, his blond hair obscuring his left eye, "which one of you is the Jinchuriki, I wonder?"

"So you are the Akatsuki," Naruto raised his hand and dark clouds formed, blocking out the sun. It wasn't a question. "Not bad…for trash."

"I'll take this one," the hunched man said. "After all, you—"

"No," Naruto said calmly. His cyan eyes were blazing with hatred and power. "You're not the one I want. I'll get to you soon enough. No…I want the blonde one. I can smell it in the air…you're the one that took Gaara."

The blonde grinned, "Yeah. So?"

The blonde began to move, but before he could so much as touch the clay bird beside him, Naruto had vanished, reappearing with his sword pierced through the unnatural avian. In an instant, the entire creature had frozen over. Naruto's lips twitched as he turned, "Now, now. We can't have you escaping, can we?"

Leaping forward, Naruto spun around and launched a vertical kick that the blonde Deidara easily blocked. Naruto arched an eyebrow, "Well, it seems you do indeed have some sort of skill."

Using the block as leverage, Naruto jumped over top of Deidara's head and kicked him in the back of the skull with his heel, knocking the effeminate man to the ground with a loud thud. Wheeling around quickly, he brought up his foot and slammed it down onto the back of Deidara's hand with a loud crunch. Or he would have, if the blonde had still been there.

A clay bird came soaring towards him, but all Naruto did was hold out his palm and whisper three words. A ball of blue fire shot forward, colliding with the bird midway and exploding in a shower of thick dirt. Fluidly, his arm moved and his sword cut through air, slicing a kunai in half as well.

Naruto swung, releasing a giant blue dragon of water at his enemy. Deidara leapt up over the beast as it came towards him, splashing violently against the floor of the cave and coating the dirt in water and ice. He wasn't done, however, and a spike of ice leapt from the teen's hand, cutting through the air.

Surprised and caught off guard by the jagged spike of frozen liquid, Deidara didn't dodge fast enough to escape its full wrath. A thin line cut itself on his left cheek, drawing several small globs of red blood. Scowling for the first time during the entire battle, the blonde reached up with his hand and wiped the blood away furiously.

"Sensei," Sakura whispered quietly, eyes wide, "why is Naruto like this?"

"It's the Jutsu," Itachi explained before Kakashi could say anything. "Naruto-kun has an 'inner beast', of sorts, that has nothing to do with the Kyuubi no Youko. By drawing from this beast's energy, which is separate from his own, Naruto-kun can do the things we know as Shikai and Bankai."

"However," Kakashi broke in, continuing where Itachi left off, "there is also a style of Jutsu called 'Sage Jutsu', which involve taking Chakra in from the environment, called Nature Chakra, and using that to fuel techniques. Only those who have trained with the toads can accurately accomplish this."

"Naruto, however," Itachi said, "has found a way around that limitation. Instead of drawing on Nature Chakra like Jiraiya-sama, Naruto draws on the energy from his inner beast. By doing so, his form changes and shifts, becoming more and more draconic in nature. The slit pupils and silver hair are the most prime examples."

"So Naruto acts this way because of the technique he used earlier?" Sasuke asked disbelievingly.

"To put it simply, yes," Kakashi replied. "To be more accurate, no. It is said that all dragons have one hundred scales dedicated to good and evil. Seventy five of those scales are devoted to good, twenty five devoted to evil. While most dragons go through life without being affected by the evil, that evil is strong enough that you _don't_ want to anger a dragon."

"To cut this entire explanation down to its root meaning," Itachi said, "this Jutsu, while powerful, brings out the darkness in Naruto-kun's own heart. At fifty percent, he fights to enjoy the battle. At sixty percent, he likes to toy with his foes. We never want to see the full one hundred percent."

Naruto wasted no time in attacking once more, driving his sword as hard as he possibly could through the man's black cloaked torso. Ice began to spread from the wound, creeping up over the blonde's body at a frightening rate. At the last second, however, his lips curled into a smirk and his body expanded and exploded.

Naruto reappeared several meters away, unharmed without a single hair or thread out of place. A scowl was planted firmly on his face, his cyan eyes scanning the cave for a sign of the blonde menace whom he hated with a passion. A growl tumbled past his lips before he could stop it as a large bird swooped out of the cavern, swallowing Gaara.

An instant later, Naruto had flown after it, rushing to catch up to the large yellow beast. Shaken from the stupor that had taken hold of her during the battle and Kakashi and Itachi's explanation, Tenten followed after, calling out his name as she spoke her sword's command phrase.

As Naruto followed Deidara, hopping from tree to tree, his enemy left no openings. There was no chance for attack, no opportunity to strike and knock the large avian made of clay out of the air. Tenten trailed behind him, struggling to keep up with his inhuman pace and begging him to wait for her.

But Naruto could hear nothing, save for the harsh sound of the wind blowing past his ears. Gaara was dead. _Dead_. He wasn't coming back. Gaara was dead and it was the fault of this stupid blonde man called Deidara. But Akatsuki hadn't counted on something when they'd targeted the redhead. They hadn't counted on the strength of Naruto's ire. And that simple, small miscalculation would be their downfall, the cause of their defeat, Naruto would _make sure of it_.

Glaring, the teen shinobi known as Ryûjin swung his sword, releasing a large blue dragon that soared toward Deidara with a silent roar. Alarmed at the visage of the beast, the blonde's eye widened considerably and he leapt from the bird, watching as the dragon tore his perfect creation into bits. Naruto leapt up and grabbed the avian's falling beak, which contained Gaara, falling and landing softly on a branch in the middle of the forest.

Unfortunately for Deidara, he wasn't prepared for the second Naruto that appeared behind him, the only warning a soft swish and the sound of his sword slicing through air. Deidara turned and tried to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough to escape the wrath of Naruto's crystalline blade and his right arm was severed just below the shoulder.

Flipping away from Naruto, Deidara landed unsteadily on a tree branch, scowling and glaring at his enemy. He was fortunate that ice had started to consume him from where his arm had been cut off. If it hadn't he would have quickly bled to death and the only one who could have saved him would be less than inclined to do so.

This boy…he was a lot stronger than the Akatsuki had given him credit for. Pein had insisted that, no matter how important to their plans he was, the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Youko wasn't any real threat to them. He had gone to train with Jiraiya for a few years, but what could a few years do against a couple decades? Namikaze Naruto, Pein assured them, was no real threat.

But now, even though he had been at such a disadvantage, Deidara had been defeated. Both of his arms were gone, each taken by a Jinchuriki. The only back up he could expect was, most likely, still in battle with Itachi and the others. And, no offense to Sasori, Deidara didn't think that the puppet master could beat the infamous Uchiha Itachi. You didn't earn a nickname like 'The Phoenix' for nothing.

If he was honest with himself, Deidara didn't really think he would have won even if he had both arms. Namikaze Naruto was known for his technique called 'Bankai'. Whenever he was serious, he would use it and crush whoever stood in his way. Not once, however, had Deidara heard the word leave the boy's lips. That meant that there was still a lot of power waiting to be unleashed.

Physically, Deidara was one of the weakest members of his organization. Next to Pein, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, Konan, and Zetsu (and he didn't really know how strong Zetsu was), he was the slowest and the weakest. He made up for it with his explosives and his cunning and his ability to infiltrate even the tightest of security. In espionage, he reigned supreme, and his explosives were more than capable of defeating any enemy who came his way.

Against his allies, however, he was incapable of winning. Sasori had far too many puppets for Deidara to safely get in a decisive blow. Hidan was pretty much immortal, so any attack aimed at him would be useless. The only thing he would get was an angry glare and, perhaps, a quick but painful disembowelment.

Kakuzu had those multiple hearts to support him, and destroying all of them before he got you was a very difficult task. With a little bit of planning and a little surprise attack, Kakuzu would be down for the count. Unfortunately, Kakuzu was simply too resistant to defeat so easily. The only thing he really had over the bounty hunter was seniority.

Konan was untouchable. No one dared approach her, not unless it involved strictly business. Pein was the only one who interacted freely with his second in command, and he was strict about what kind of contact the others could have with her. Pein was the only member that Deidara was sure could kill him effortlessly.

With a slash of his sword, Naruto's godly visage melted away into his normal appearance, a scowl planted firmly on his face. Deidara felt a bit of hope flare up inside his chest, but it was immediately extinguished when the blonde shinobi pointed his katana forward and intoned but a single word, "Bankai."

Ice spread over him, forming wings, a tail, a dragon head-shaped gauntlet, clawed feet, and four flowers with four petals each. In that instant, Deidara knew that he wouldn't be walking away from this one. His death was almost assured and there was nothing he could possibly do to stop it.

As Naruto raised his hand up to point at Deidara, the air between them solidified into tiny little particles of ice that looked like fog and mist. The light glinted off of several of these particles, reflecting into Deidara's eyes, who realized that these bits of ice were incredibly dense and sharp.

"Kongou Hokori," was all Naruto said. (Diamond Dust)

With a motion of his hand, the small ice particles leapt forward, spearing Deidara through all parts of his body, save his chest, neck, and head. He stood straight for a moment, incapable of collapsing, then fell backwards with a heavy thump, blood leaking from thousands of wounds on his body not much larger than a pinprick. He could not move; muscles, ligaments, bones — all had been torn to shreds, leaving him nothing but a gasping, pain-filled corpse.

Grabbing the blonde's coat, Naruto pushed Deidara against the bark, hissing, "Do you know why you lost? You underestimated me. And now, you'll pay the price for all you've done. You'll pay for killing Gaara, for all you've done to the Sand, for every sin you've ever committed, and I'll be eager to watch your trip to hell."

With his piece said and nothing more he wanted to express to the missing ninja, Naruto stabbed his sword through the blonde's heart, watching as fear and pain bloomed on his face. Holding back a snarl, Naruto whispered, "Don't worry, it's fatal."

The moment Deidara took his last breath, Naruto felt his anger dissolve into pain and emptiness as his Bankai vanished. Gaara was _gone_. One of the few people who could understand his pain was gone, and he wasn't coming back. Killing Deidara hadn't brought Gaara back. It hadn't made the pain go away.

A pair of warm arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into a warm embrace. A small smile pulled at Naruto's lips and he leaned backwards into Tenten's awaiting arms, enjoying the warmth and comfort of her hug. A noise pulled him back to earth, however, and the situation was refreshed as he caught sight of the clone he had made earlier.

Gaara was _gone_.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasori was dead. His body, nothing more than a puppet following his commands flawlessly, was cracked and burnt, as though it had been struck by lightning. The ground was split and had experienced a great upheaval and the cave in which that battle had taken place was all but gone. The remains of several puppets littered the brown earth

"Hm!" Sasuke smirked, eyes dancing victoriously, "he was no match for Murakumo and me."

"You think we should trust him, though?" Sakura asked unsurely. "About the bridge, I mean."

"Tenchi bridge in Grass Country," Itachi recited, staring at Sasori's smoking corpse, "ten days from now at noon. I'd…heard that he had a subordinate in Orochimaru's camp, but I didn't think he'd manage such a thing. Orochimaru may not be the strongest of ninja out there, but he is most certainly one of the cleverer ones."

"We have no other choice but to trust him," Neji cut in. "This is the best and most solid lead we've had on Orochimaru for years. Even if it turns out to be a trap, the chance that we can take down Orochimaru is too good to pass up. I'm sure Hokage-sama will agree with me. We _must not_ ignore this."

"Sakura!" two voices cried. The entire group turned around to see Tenten and Naruto land, holding a motionless Gaara in between them. They set him down on a smooth section of dirt, backing up as Sakura rushed forward and dropped to her knees beside the unmoving redhead. She laid her hands on his chest, then paused. With sad eyes, she looked up at Naruto and shook her head.

Naruto's brow furrowed, his teeth grinding together, "Why…why was Gaara…always Gaara…To die like this…"

His fist clenched, "He's the Kazekage! He didn't become Kazekage just to…"

"Relax," Chiyo said calmly, "Namikaze Naruto."

Naruto spun around, unshed tears glistening in his eyes, "Shut up! If the Hidden Sand hadn't sealed that crazy monster in Gaara, then nothing like this would have happened in the first place! Gaara didn't ask for this! He didn't tell you to seal such a beast inside his body! Jinchuriki…it's just a word that people like you made up! It's a label that glorifies our lives!"

Droplets of water finally trickled down his cheeks, "I couldn't save the old man and I couldn't save Gaara. I trained and trained for three years, day and night, until I dropped. I trained until my hands bled and my muscles snapped. But nothing's changed. I can't save those who matter to me."

Face twisted into a determined frown, Chiyo strode forward purposefully, kneeling down next to Gaara and pressing her hands against his chest. Her hands glowed with chakra, forming a bright orb that consumed her arms from the elbow down. The grass around her rippled and swayed.

"Chiyo-sama!" Sakura gasped. "That jutsu is…!"

"What are you trying to do now?" Naruto asked stubbornly, refusing to get his hopes up. The aura to that chakra had a familiar feel. Could it be…?

"That's…" Gai muttered.

"Yes," Kakashi confirmed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Naruto demanded. Hope was blossoming in his chest, but he wouldn't allow it to grow so long as it could still be dashed in the next few moments.

Sakura looked over at him, "She's bringing Gaara back."

Naruto's heart started to beat loudly in his chest, "Is she…really…?"

Sakura's face was firm and grim, "This Jutsu is Chiyo-sama's alone."

"Guh!" Chiyo flinched. The glow weakened. "Damn! Not enough chakra…"

"You can…" Naruto knelt down on the other side of Gaara's body, "use my chakra."

"Put your hands on top of mine," she said, and Naruto did so. A thin smile appeared on her lips. "I'm glad that someone like you exists in this world of shinobi that we old people created. In the past, I made so many mistakes. But now, at the very end, I am able to do what is right."

She looked up at him, "Konoha and Suna…Their futures are differing from our pasts. That mysterious power of yours that Kakashi spoke of…That may just change the future. Become a Hokage like none before you."

Her eyes softened, "Naruto…a request from an old hag. You are the only one who knows Gaara's pain, and Gaara is the only one who knows your pain. So…help him out."

All Gaara knew was emptiness. He was alone in a world of nothing and his body refused to move. A voice called his name, a familiar voice, but he could not place a face or name to the voice. Warmth blossomed on his shoulder, a strong hand gripping him tightly and nudging him gently.

"Gaara…" the voice called.

"Gaara…" Gaara's eyes felt heavy and the ground felt hard and cold.

"Gaara…" at once, his eyes snapped open and he could place a name to that voice.

He looked up at the blonde who held him up by the shoulder, supporting him and his motionless body. He craned his neck and whispered the name, "Naruto…"

His eyes widened as he caught sight of his surroundings; hundreds of ninja stood, as if waiting for him to awake from his unnatural sleep. Each one was smiling, and as he sat up, several started to cheer for his return. Confusion and surprise filled his being, so he turned to look at his blonde friend once more.

Naruto smiled, speaking softly, "They all came here, Gaara. Everyone came running…just to save you. You put us through a lot."

A ghost of a smile lit up Gaara's face.

"Thank you…Naruto."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach **

**Yes, I gave Hinata Tifa's Advent Children clothes. Chakra Gems were inspired by similar objects on Soul Calibur IV. Can anyone guess what jutsu Jiraiya told Naruto not to use? How about how far Naruto can take Ryûjin no Torai now?**

**And before any of you start complaining that Deidara was too weak, I'll remind you that he would have died at this point in canon if he hadn't used his Jibaku Bunshin. **

**This chapter is shorter than the last one, I know. Sorry. **

**Yes, Mitsunari is going to be an important character, though his true importance won't appear until the sequel. I know that I'm having this story take place about two or three hundred years before the real Ishida Mitsunari was born, but, hey, writer's prerogative. This story takes place in the late twelfth century (1183, now 1198). When Naruto 'dies', he'll be about 152 years old, and I think he's going to die in 1335AD.**

**From there, there'll be a massive time-skip, about 665 years, to 2000. That's where the sequel will pick up and we meet Naruto, hidden away in a cave near Karakura Town, alone for nearly seven centuries.**

_**Kin no akari… (Golden Light)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	9. The Tower of Lost Souls

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**For NaruHina version, see "Chapter IX: B-Side".**

**Chapter Nine: Tower of Lost Souls**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The sun hung high in the midday sky, casting a bright glow over the lush forests and the shining river hidden within the chasm. A sturdy wooden bridge closed the gap between the two sides, arching up slightly and protected by a thick roof. A figure stood stoically atop its pale planks, his face and all distinguishing features hidden by a cloak.

Another figure suddenly appeared as well, all but his eyes hidden from the world. He wore a dark piece of cloth over his nose and mouth and a conical bamboo hat on his head. Thin strips of paper fell from the hat to obscure the sides of his head. His hunched over body was hidden within a black cloak decorated with blood red clouds.

"It's been a long time, Sasori-sama," the first figure stated plainly, reaching for the hood of his cloak. He pulled it down, revealing a stoic face with long, silvery hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. His dark eyes, framed by a pair of glasses, betrayed nothing of his emotions. "About five years."

Naruto, hidden away behind the cover of a large rock, felt his eyes go wide and a lump form in his throat. Anger leapt unbidden to forefront of his mind, overwhelming the shock that had initially flooded him. His hand clenched into a fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white and shook.

"It can't be," he whispered almost inaudibly. "I killed him."

A hand on his shoulder drove his attention over to Kakashi, who nodded reassuringly and gave him a sharp, light squeeze. A wave of gratitude washed through him, but the anger still simmered beneath the surface. How had Kabuto survived? The attack Naruto had used on him a year prior should have killed him.

"Followed…?" the fake Sasori asked with a grunt.

"Not an issue," Kabuto said calmly.

"How's the situation?"

"A weird feeling still remains from the time I remembered who I was, unsealed by Sasori-sama's technique," Kabuto said. "My head is still a bit heavy."

"I have a few questions," Sasori said with a growl.

"We have very little time, please make it quick," Kabuto said, a hint of worry in his voice. "I'm risking my life just by coming here and away from Orochimaru-sama's eye."

"Give me information on the emplacement of his hideout," Sasori said firmly.

"There are many hideouts," Kabuto said. "To keep his whereabouts from being discovered, he's moving from place to place by one week units. Of course, these are also in countries away from the Hidden Sound. Orochimaru-sama's spies are given intricate directions. His means of travel are also various and can't be told either. He's now hiding in a hideout in a small island of the north lake. He'll move in three days."

Kabuto caught something out of the corner of his eye and turned suddenly in alarm, but let out a soft sigh of relief. It was only a rabbit. That had startled him. He turned back around, "By the way…about that task you asked of me, Sasori-sama. After changing bodies, Orochimaru casts a jutsu on the cellular specimen of the leftover corpse, meant to preserve it. I was unable to perform an analysis on that specimen."

Sasori's expression didn't change, "I see."

Kabuto held out a hand, "On that note, please give me the item we talked about. I can't continue to stay here much longer. If it's found out that I'm meeting you here like this, I'll be killed."

"Very well," the fake Sasori grabbed something from inside his cloak, then his hand shot out, grasping a kunai.

"Your conversation seems quite amusing," a silky voice said suddenly, from behind Kabuto. Orochimaru stood back to back with him, a snake curling away from his body and reaching for Kabuto's. "You wouldn't mind if I joined in, would you?"

The snake suddenly squeezed around the teen, but he was already gone, leaving his cloak behind to get crushed. He turned to face the pale man, saying, "I almost wasn't able to step back in time. But, thanks to you taking out your kunai, Sasori-sama, I was."

"That get up of yours brings back memories, Sasori," Orochimaru said, his voice like velvet.

"So you followed Kabuto, then?" the fake Sasori asked neutrally.

"I just wanted to thank you. This boy you sent me…I was able to make quite good use of him," Orochimaru smirked. "In order for me to create new jutsu, I need to conduct experiments on well over one hundred live humans. Thanks to this boy, I am able to use the same specimen any number of times I please. I had quite a hard time coming across test subjects, after all…"

Kabuto's hand glowed with chakra and he spun around, lopping off Sasori's head to reveal a black haired ninja inside. Captain Yamato leapt from the wooden body and tried to retreat, but Orochimaru flung out a hand and hundreds of snakes shot forth, coiling around his body. One bit him on the neck, but he vanished, replaced by a piece of wood shaped roughly like him.

"Mokuton ninjutsu…you couldn't be."

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto said, "is that the real Sasori?"

"No, it's not," Orochimaru said. "Are you telling me that you, one of his own subordinates, don't even know what his real face looks like?"

"He was a dark individual, after all," Kabuto said in his defense. "He was always hiding in that puppet of his."

"What are you talking about?" Yamato clutched his injured right arm. "You should be an Akatsuki spy. Aren't you still under the effects of Sasori's ninjutsu?"

"Ah, yes, _that_ jutsu," Kabuto grinned. "Orochimaru-sama freed me from it quite some time ago."

"So," Yamato said darkly, "you fell pray to Orochimaru's jutsu, then."

"I chose this path of my own will," Kabuto said, laughter in his voice. "But tell me, who are you?"

"I'll tell you about this boy later," Orochimaru said. "But first…why don't you call out those four little mice hiding in the brush?"

Scowling, Yamato made a hand sign and four people leapt from the woods. Namikaze Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Hatake Kakashi landed on the bridge, each one glaring seriously at the snake-like man in front of them. Kabuto tilted his head back arrogantly, "You again."

"I've seen that face a number of different times," Orochimaru said with a chuckle, staring at the blonde. "Why don't we have a little fun? It seems the Kyubi boy brought Sasuke-kun to us all wrapped up as a gift."

Naruto snarled, his fists shaking with rage. An oppressive aura was unleashed, and gravity suddenly seemed to quadruple in that instant, driving the air from Team Seven's lungs. Kabuto staggered backwards, clutching his chest and his eyes wide with fear. Orochimaru's own eyes had widened slightly in surprise, but he showed no other reaction.

Naruto drew his sword slowly, producing a long, sharp, ear-grating ring. In a flash, he was gone and Orochimaru leapt away from his slash, which sliced cleanly through the bridge and out the bottom. Taking advantage of the moment, he spun around and, with a fierce strike, lopped the shocked Kabuto's head off. There was a violent gush of blood, but Naruto paid it no attention.

"Damn you, boy!" Orochimaru growled menacingly as his yellow eyes glared a hole in the blonde's forehead. "Do you realize just how much I had to go through to keep him alive a year ago?"

"Good," Naruto said coldly, icy blue eyes gleaming. "He was supposed to die that night a year ago. That he survived is indeed a testament to your skill and ingenuity. That ice should have immobilized him completely, cutting off all escape while he bled his life away. He was given a year's extension and I decided to collect."

The blonde's eyes narrowed, "Orochimaru, you aren't worthy of being a ninja, or a Sennin. Swinging your blade out of a sense of duty, that is what ninja and Sennin do. Swinging your blade out of hate is nothing more than base violence. Ninja do not refer to that as fighting. You…aren't worthy of being a ninja, especially a Sennin."

"How amusing," Orochimaru smirked. "Do you mean to tell me, then, that there is no hatred in the blade that you hold right now?"

There was a pause, then a wave of pressure swept out from Naruto as an icy rage burned in his eyes, "You're exactly right, Orochimaru. My blade…_is _full of hate. I didn't come here to fight you. I came here…to violently hack you to pieces!"

Orochimaru grunted slightly in panic as his knees jerked and threatened to buckle beneath him, his lips curling back as he struggled to throw off whatever it was that was pressing down on him. The sheer power radiating out from the blonde was blurring the edges of his vision and he struggled to claim each breath.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Kyubi brat was strong, but he was still just a boy. He, Orochimaru, was one of the Sannin and was hailed around the Elemental Countries as one of the most elite of ninja. He had been a ninja of elite status while this boy's _grandfather_ had been sucking his thumb.

But this power. _This_ power. It was strong and it was harsh and it was frightening. Two and a half years the brat had been gone for, and after a single year of training, he hadn't seemed to improve substantially enough, only barely capable of defeating Kabuto. At that level of growth, it was fair to say that he wouldn't pose a threat for many more years, and he probably wouldn't get the chance to get that far.

However, something seemed to have happened between that year and the end of the second year. The blonde boy before him had gone from being simply level with someone like, say, Kakashi, to being an S-class ninja. He had not yet become level with someone like Itachi or especially Pein and Madara, but his rate of growth was astounding.

Standing unsteadily, his knees still shaking, Orochimaru opened his mouth wide and summoned his sword, the Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Kuu no Tachi. He threw it up in a horizontal block just in time to defend against Naruto's vicious slash, the pressure disappearing as the blonde focused on the battle.

"If your blade is filled with hate, then you aren't worthy of being a ninja either," Naruto said, calm forced into his voice. "That's what you're getting at, isn't it? You're right. But…I don't care if this fight costs me my status as a ninja. As long as I get to kill you…_it doesn't matter_."

The swords jingled and clattered as each wielder tried desperately to overpower the other, glaring at their opponent. Orochimaru let out an angry breath through his teeth, yellow eyes glinting in dark anger. Naruto's mouth opened and words tumbled out, his wide blue eyes focused solely on the Snake Sennin, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

Naruto pushed away and jumped into the air, sending forth a titanic water dragon with a single downward swing of his sword. Orochimaru leapt back and dodged as it ploughed into and through the wooden bridge, flinging his arm out and launching a torrent of thin, gangly snakes through the towering water. As they reached the other side, they were sliced to bits by the blade that swung around and through them, attached to a chain on Hyôrinmaru's hilt.

The area in front of the black haired ninja blurred, and, suddenly, Naruto was standing there in front of him, sword soaring through the air. Orochimaru swung down and met his horizontal strike, sending both their arms backward in a vicious recoil. They swung at each other once more, this time holding their blades in a stalemate.

"You're just like your father," Orochimaru hissed. "You're meddling, annoying, and always ruining my plans! I should have severed his head when I had the chance!"

"My father was a greater person and ninja than you'll ever be," Naruto said lowly, snarling. "If it wasn't for people like you, he wouldn't have had to die!"

A kunai appeared in the blonde's hand and he swiped towards Orochimaru with it. The black-haired ninja deflected it with his sword, but wasn't prepared for the gleaming silver blade that sliced cleanly through his stomach and sent his torso flying. A thick trunk of snakes extended from both halves of his body and latched onto one another, pulling him back into one piece.

Taking advantage of Naruto's distraction, who was too surprised by the man's vile ability, Orochimaru lashed out with a vicious punch, flinging the blonde backwards and into the ground. Coughing at the ache in his ribs, Naruto rose to his feet slowly.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried worriedly. She made to go and help him, but Kakashi's hand and arm prevented her from moving. "Kakashi-sensei! Let me go! If we don't help him, Naruto could…!"

"If we help him," Kakashi said seriously, watching the events unfold in front of him, "what will become of his pride? If we were to jump into this battle now, we might save his life. At the same time, we will have destroyed his pride."

"Pride?" Sakura asked incredulously. "What does pride matter? His life is more important than that!"

"Sakura-san," Kakashi said, still using his serious tone with narrowed eyes watching fiercely, "remember this. There are two types of battle. Whenever we fight, that fight must be one of these two types. The fight for life and the fight…for pride."

The blonde rose to his feet, spit out a glob of blood, muttered something that sounded like, "Cheap shot," and vanished.

"Right now," Kakashi continued, "he's fighting for pride; Sarutobi Hiruzen's pride, his father's pride, Konoha's pride, and, most importantly, his own personal pride."

Naruto swung downwards and once more their swords locked in an epic and equal inverted tug of war. Naruto glared, hissing, "You're disgusting. You've traded everything, even your humanity, for an impossible dream. You've pissed off the wrong person this time, though, and I intend to follow through with my promise to kill you."

"Go back to your sandbox, _boy_," Orochimaru sneered. "Even you, with all of your training, cannot kill a ninja of _my_ caliber."

A gasp tore itself from the man's lips as a sword of gleaming silver pierced through his chest and heart, spearing him on it. The blonde in front of him disappeared in a puff of smoke and from behind him a voice whispered, "Can't I?"

The body burst into a horde of snakes that twisted around as they hissed, biting the blonde viciously in several places. He, in turn, fell apart into water and splashed to the ground. Neither side, it seemed, had actually been injured in that exchange, as was evidenced by the substitutions they had pulled off.

From a place a meter or two away from his previous spot, liquid mud bubbled up to form the black-haired, yellow-eyed Orochimaru. With the sound of a curtain fluttering in the breeze, Naruto reappeared as well, his blue eyes glaring daggers at the pale-skinned Snake Sennin.

Orochimaru tilted his head back arrogantly, his lips pulled back into a smirk, "I thought we were going to skip the warm up."

As he swiped his sword to the side, a blue and white aura lit up around the blonde's body, "I was giving you a chance to regret all of the things you have done in your life."

The aura flared and the pale man's eyes widened in horror as a single word rolled past Naruto's lips, "Bankai."

The wings, tail, dragon-head gauntlet, claw, feet, and flowers of ice all made their reappearance, forming around his limbs and in the air. In an instant, Naruto had done what Orochimaru had feared he would do: he had called forth his full power and leveled it in the Snake Sennin's direction.

In a blur, Naruto vanished. Orochimaru barely had time to throw up a block and defend himself, Hyôrinmaru pressing down on the black steel of his blade. A chill crept down the dark metal and instantly the feared Kusanagi grew cold in his pale hands. His eyes flew wide open as an old emotion, one he hadn't felt since that fight with Sarutobi, crept into his body:

Fear.

Leaping backwards, Orochimaru flung out his free arms and sent a horde of snakes in the blonde's direction, desperately trying to destroy his foe. Naruto merely backed away to give himself some room and pointed his blade at the dark green and brown serpents. He intoned but a single word, "Hyôrinmaru."

Three dragons of frigid water leapt from the tip of his shimmering steel, each one in possession of gleaming red eyes and a pair of feathery-looking wings. They twisted around each other, rushing forward and consuming the horde as if the scaly beasts were nothing and continuing on toward Orochimaru.

With a scream of terror, the Snake Sennin's mouth fell open and from it came a new body, even as the old one was overwhelmed and fell victim to the trio of dragons. The new body slithered along the ground at an astounding speed, rushing toward the cover of the trees in hopes of escaping.

As Naruto stabbed his sword into the ground, he had no such luck, "Hokkyoku." (Arctic)

Faster than he could dodge, two pillars rose and captured each of Orochimaru's arms holding them as far apart as they could comfortably be. As his momentum stopped, a third pillar rose and consumed his lower body, from his feet all the way up to his waist, trapping him where he stood.

He struggled to get loose, pulling at each encased arm with all of his might, but the ice would not relinquish his captive flesh. Naruto appeared in front of him, a scowl on his face and his sword pointed in the black-haired man's direction. Consumed by his terror, Orochimaru threw his head back, opened his mouth wide, and screamed for all he was worth.

From his body burst a giant white snake, which hissed as it curled its body and turned its slit black pupils and yellow eyes onto the blonde boy, who merely stared back. Giving its harsh, wispy version of a shriek, its mouth dropped open and revealed meter long fangs that could cleave Naruto in half. It dived for him.

The wings of solid ice curled protectively around Naruto's body, holding up against the white snake's assault as it tried to sink its fangs into his flesh. Naruto's scowl deepened and he hefted his sword, preparing for a finishing move, "So this is your true form?"

With a burst of energy, he knocked the beast away, stunning it at his sudden maneuver. That presented the opportunity that Naruto would have had to have been crazy to pass up, and the blonde rushed forward, sword poised for a killing stroke. The snake could not have hoped to be prepared in time to dodge.

With a harsh clink and the sound of flesh being rent asunder, Hyôrinmaru sunk past scale after pale white scale as it cut into the transformed Orochimaru, the gleaming silver disappearing into the creamy underbelly. The beastly snake screeched at this and writhed around, but it appeared unable to move its lower body.

"This is the end," Naruto said coldly, ice spreading from the open wound (which would not bleed) and slowly consuming the creature's massive body. Orochimaru seemed unable to hear these words, as he only continued to thrash around desperately. "Your nerve receptions have been cut off below this point and I've damaged or even destroyed several of your internal organs. Only Tsunade could heal you now."

The ice started to move faster, creeping up like a demonic vine and consuming the beast's neck and throat next. Desperately, Orochimaru turned his gaze downward and tried to catch Naruto's stare, but the blonde's eyes were shut tight, a ghost of a smirk on his lips, "Hoping to achieve eye contact in a desperate bid for your immortality jutsu?"

With a final shriek, Orochimaru was at last entirely consumed, standing as a solitary statue in the middle of a battlefield. Sighing, Naruto pulled his sword loose and sheathed it as his extra appendages evaporated away into nothingness. Scowling slightly, he leapt high into the air and landed on the tip of the snake's nose.

"This is to make sure there's no escaping this time," Naruto murmured under his breath, crouched atop the beast's frozen snout. He held out a single finger and pressed it up against the ice that covered the monster's forehead. In a soft but firm voice, he whispered, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai."

A thick bolt of erratic white lightning ripped forward, straight through both the nigh indestructible ice and the flesh and organs of the snake trapped within. Orochimaru's brains, Naruto knew, were likely nothing more than mush and lumps of fried gray-matter now. He could never harm anyone again.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried ecstatically. "Your Curse Mark! It's gone!"

Naruto stood and let out a breath of relief. Orochimaru was dead. And this time…

For good.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The office was quiet and almost empty, the silence pressing down on the sole two occupants of its wooden walls. Sunlight streamed in through the large windows positioned on the rear wall, casting bright light on the planks that covered the floor and the large, hardwood desk that sat near the center.

There were two, solitary figures in this room, occupying its hallowed space. Their faces were serious and dark, as though they were facing a decision they would rather not make, or remembering memories they would rather forget. Between them, this expression was shared, varying only in the way it was etched onto their faces: did it bring lines, or soft curves of the lips?

The first figure was tall and powerful, standing on thick red geta sandals near the windows and staring out at the giant stone monument that watched over the village. His untamable hair was white and spiky and long, reaching all the way down to his knees, if not farther. He was dressed in olive drab with a metal plate on his forehead. Jiraiya of the Sannin. The Toad Sage.

The second figure was a woman, apparently in her twenties, with womanly attributes that seemed almost impossibly large and ill proportioned for her body. Her amber gaze was solemn as she read the paper in her hands, feeling, for one of the first times in a long time, the burden of being Hokage the Fifth.

This woman was Tsunade of the Sannin, renowned throughout the underworld as the Legendary Sucker and generally thought of as the worst gambler in history. She was also somewhere in her fifties, despite her youthful looks, and was a master of both genjutsu disguises and medical ninjutsu.

Tsunade set the paper down on her desk and sighed, rubbing her forehead with a single shaking hand. Quietly, she asked, "Is this the truth, then?"

"Yes," Jiraiya said, his voice sounding so stern it was as if he were handing her own death sentence to her. "I checked it out for myself, just to confirm the reports, but it's just as they said it was."

"He's gone," she whispered. A single tear leaked out of her eye, but she paid it no mind. She chuckled derisively, mirthlessly, at her own reaction. "For so long, I've hated him for leaving us, for abandoning our team the way he did. But…a part of me is sad that he's gone. A part of me remembers our time as Genin and can't help but cry."

"I know how you feel," Jiraiya murmured. "He may have been one of the worst traitors to have ever come from Konoha, and he wasn't even really human anymore, but…I think he was the only one of us three that managed to truly sever those friendship bonds."

Tsunade sighed and hung her head, "So, Naruto was the one to do it?"

"From what I understand, yes," Jiraiya responded. "According to Kakashi, he fought the way he was expected to and took revenge for Sarutobi-sensei. Uchiha Sasuke-san's Curse Seal is also gone, which confirms it. Orochimaru is really dead this time."

Tsunade glanced at him, "And what of Akatsuki?"

Jiraiya shifted, "According to my spies and Itachi himself, we've taken down Deidara, Akasuna no Sasori, and Hoshigaki Kisame. That leaves the leader, Pein, his right hand, Konan, their spy, Zetsu, and the two man team, Hidan and Kakuzu. Also according to him, that clone they fought on the way to rescuing Gaara was a mere thirty percent of Hidan's full power."

The older man frowned, "I've also been informed that there is a new recruit by the name of 'Tobi', though nothing else I have on him is concrete. And also…"

Jiraiya walked over to look at the portraits of the Hokage, "Also…I think…I think I know who Pein is."

Tsunade's head whipped around so fast, he could have sworn her neck cracked, "What?"

"It's been bothering me for a while now," Jiraiya told her, "this information I was given. So far, most of it's just speculation and I've drawn my conclusions from that, but…I think Pein is a kid I taught once a long time ago."

Tsunade eyed him, "How long ago is 'a long time ago'?"

Jiraiya frowned, his voice wistful, "Long ago. Before even Minato-kun."

"But you're not sure?" Tsunade repeated his words. "You've got some information but it's not solid enough for you to go on?"

"Yeah, but…" he started.

"Then don't bother with it," she told him firmly. "If you're not sure if it's valid, then don't bother with it. We need as many strong ninja around as we can get if we're going to defend against the Akatsuki. And they _will_ come here. It's just a matter of time."

Jiraiya sighed, "You're right. I think I'll just forget about it for now. You're right, it's probably nothing. I mean, what are the chances that he's actually shown up again after all these years, huh? Hah! I must've been crazy to think that he was the one behind all of this! I mean, I'm not even sure he made it through that war!"

Jiraiya laughed, but it was hollow, and it seemed, just like his words, as if he were merely trying to convince himself. They both knew his hunches were usually right, so he was probably right about this one, too. But Tsunade didn't want to let him go, not now, when she knew he was likely to get himself killed in a battle like that.

She didn't have all the information, but she knew Pein wasn't someone you mess with casually. After all, he had to be damn tough to be leader of the Akatsuki. He wouldn't have had eight loyal, bloodthirsty murders on his side if he wasn't the strongest of the bunch. Considering the level Itachi was on, this guy had to be a veritable god.

No, she decided, she wouldn't let Jiraiya go on this suicide mission, not without someone of equal strength as back up. For that, she would have to wait for Kakashi to bring back Naruto from the Tower. She shivered. She had to sympathize with her fellow blonde. The Tower was a horrible place, even if it was one of _the_ most effective training tools out there.

"Well," Jiraiya waved and turned around, opening the door, "I'll see you around, Tsunade-hime!"

What Jiraiya didn't say was what he thought next, _'Nagato-kun…what have you done?'_

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun was bright, casting its yellow rays down upon the foliage. The grass and the leaves were as lively a green as they could possibly be and stretched towards the sky. In the breeze, the tree branches swayed and they looked to be waving at the sun, saying hello to another beautiful day and a bright morning.

Through these trees did two figures travel, moving forwards at amazing speeds. Their forms were a blur, indistinguishable as they rushed toward their goal so fast that they seemed nothing but a mirage from the hot sun: there one second, then vanishing a mere moment later, as if they had never been there.

The first figure was tall, with spiky gray hair that stuck up at an odd angle, almost as if it were deliberately defying gravity. Slung over his left eye was a blue headband with a metal plate stuck in the center, a swirling leaf carved onto it. He wore a green flak jacket and a blue shirt and pants. Hatake Kakashi.

The second figure was just as tall as his older counterpart with golden, sun-kissed blonde hair that was even spikier than Kakashi's. His headband was tied around his right biceps with the metal plate facing out. He had blue eyes and three whisker marks on each cheek. He wore his usual zip-up, sleeveless turtleneck and black pants. Namikaze Naruto.

"Where are we going, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked for the first time. Indeed, it was the first time they had talked at all during the entire trip. Both had remained silent, but Naruto couldn't stop himself from asking. After all, "It's been three days since we started traveling, and you _still_ haven't told me where we're going!"

Kakashi was silent for a moment, as if pondering how to answer the questions asked of him. Finally, he said, "Jiraiya-sama left your training in my hands, now, and there's nothing I can teach you that you could learn anymore. You're a Suiton master and I'm horrible with Fuuton element Jutsu, so I'm going to do something I promised."

"Promised to who?" Naruto asked.

"Your father," Kakashi said seriously. "It's a promise I made that fateful night nearly sixteen years ago, just moments after you had been born. He asked me, no, he _begged _me, Sensei _begged_ me to do this for him. He made me promise that, when I could teach you nothing more, and when Jiraiya couldn't teach you anything else, that I take you to the final training."

"Final training?" Naruto repeated curiously.

Kakashi nodded, "It's something of a tradition for potential Hokage, or those who are to succeed the current Hokage. Shodai was the first to take it, then he led his brother the Nidaime to it and had him take it, and then your father took it, and the Sandaime took Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru, and Tsunade-hime and had them take it."

"Wait," Naruto interrupted, jumping off another branch, "what about the old man? Didn't he…?"

"No," Kakashi said. "Sandaime-sama didn't take this training. For him, the prospect was too difficult and he could not bring himself to experience the horrors of this method of training. This is no normal training, you see. The Hokage used it as a way to find and strengthen their resolve to protect the village."

"Wow," Naruto whistled. "This training's that hard, then?"

"Yes, it is," Kakashi answered. "For this isn't just physical training, training of the body. This training is to hone the mind and to cast aside weakness and indecision. A Hokage must be able to look at his warriors and see the people, but treat them as if they were pieces in a shogi game. To do so, he must first complete this training and face the one person he could never bring himself to battle. This training is both emotional and physical."

Naruto cast a look down thoughtfully, murmuring, "Hinata-chan, Tenten-chan."

Kakashi shook his head, "No, you will not face Hinata-san or Tenten-san. They are strong in their own right, but nowhere near strong enough to match you in an all out battle. The person you will have to battle will be someone who means something to you, but someone you also view as superior to yourself."

Naruto blinked, "Like who?"

"Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi said, his voice slightly unsure, "or perhaps Sandaime-sama. I cannot say for sure who it is you will have to fight against, but I know it will be someone powerful that you have known or consider important or close to your heart. Perhaps they will be all three, and you will lose."

Naruto looked alarmed, but Kakashi allayed his fears, "Don't worry, you won't die. Like I said, this is _training_. It's supposed to help you get better, not kill you off."

"Oh," Naruto said lamely. "You know, you never did answer my question. Where are we going?"

Kakashi was silent for a few moments, merely continuing his forward momentum and launching himself through the trees as they moved onward. After a little while, though, and Naruto was about to ask again, the Cyclops-wannabe gray-haired Jônin announced in a solemn voice, "We're here."

Naruto looked forward and landed gracefully as the line of trees ended. He was about to ask where 'here' was when the words died in his throat and his eyes went wide as he caught sight of what stood in front of him. Beside him, Kakashi was smirking beneath his mask, obviously amused at the blonde's reaction.

"Whoa," Naruto whispered, staring straight ahead. In front of him, standing in the middle of a plot of barren land, was a large tower the likes of which he had never seen. Its top was invisible, hiding inside of a group of ominous looking black clouds. The rest of the sky, strangely enough, was clear and bright blue. "Where are we?"

"This, Naruto-kun, is the Final Destination," Kakashi said, as though he were a showman introducing an act at the circus. "This _is_ the Tower of Lost Souls."

The outside, Naruto decided as they walked through the thick wooden doors, was very impressive, but it didn't hold a candle to the inside. The floors were made of solid stones that looked as if they weighed several hundred pounds, and the walls similarly made, each piece carved to perfection.

Stain glass windows filled the entire place and the rooms of the Tower were a great deal more spacious than the outside led one to believe. Light, dim and low, painted patterns on the bronze floor, but the Tower seemed to have its own invisible light source that illuminated the rooms.

In silence, Kakashi led him up stair after stair, passing floor after gilded floor and going up staircase after staircase. The winding steps started to make him dizzy, but he kept his gaze firm and resolutely forward, following the gray-haired man in front of him. That was the tenth floor, now, and he had yet to see anything.

At the fifteenth floor, he was starting to get nervous and broke their quiet vigil, "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, how far up are we going?"

"To the sixtieth floor," Kakashi answered solemnly. "There, the Tower Guardian awaits us, and will choose the form he believes best suited to battle you."

Naruto swallowed apprehensively, muttering, "Tower Guardian, huh?"

The silence of the tower itself didn't end until they reached the thirtieth floor, where Naruto could here the beginnings of thunder as it crashed against the walls of the Tower, but did not shake the tall structure. Flashes of lightning passed in front of the windows now, and the dim light was gone, leaving only the artificial light source to lead them.

At the fortieth floor, Naruto began to hear other noises. There were moans and groans, the lamentations of lost souls, those who could not depart the mortal plane, but Naruto could see nothing. He settled for biting his lip nervously, following his gray-haired teacher as they continued to ascend, heedless of the noises.

The fiftieth floor was when Naruto discovered that they weren't the only occupants of the tower, for there certainly were others. Warriors of all kinds and civilians dressed in rags filled the floors, their bodies transparent and intangible. With a shiver, Naruto tore his eyes away from the suffering figures and marched onward.

At the fifty-ninth floor, Kakashi suddenly stopped and turned to the side, gesturing with his hand, "Only you can continue onward. This is your fight; you must do this alone."

Hesitantly, Naruto stepped forward, schooling his face into a neutral expression to hide the anxiety flitting just beneath the surface. There was a crack of vicious thunder and a flash of bright lightning as he ascended the last step, blinding him and hiding the room from him. His vision came back slowly and he reached up to rub the spot from his eyes.

A gasp tore itself from his lips when he could see again, for he had discovered who it was he would be facing. In a whisper, he uttered, "Yondaime Hokage."

And, indeed, that was who stood at the opposite end of the tower, his back to the stain glass window behind him. His blonde hair was even spikier than Naruto's and his hitai-ate was tied snuggly around his forehead, his piercing blue eyes gazing forward with a seriousness that caught Naruto by surprise.

The man looked much like what Naruto had seen in his textbooks as a child. He was tall, just a few centimeters more so than Kakashi, and lean with squared shoulders and a strong stance. His hair was bright golden yellow and refused to be tamed by methods man or nature. His eyes were like blue sapphires…or chips of ice.

Overtop of the standard Jônin outfit, he wore his trademark white coat, the short sleeves ending about halfway down his chiseled but lean biceps. Red flames danced around the bottom hem, licking at the white and immortalized in cloth and thread. Black sandals left the front open to reveal tanned toes.

There was one thing, though, that set Naruto on edge, for it hadn't been mentioned at all in the many books and biographies written about this legendary figure. Slung over his right shoulder and tied there with a green cloth was the familiar blue-wrapped hilt of Hyôrinmaru, sheathed in black.

Reaching up for the instrument of destruction on his back, the Yondaime walked forward, intoning four words as he unsheathed his weapon, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru."

In a blur, the man disappeared, but Naruto was already prepared for him and had drawn his own sword, intoning his own command phrase, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

In a crash of ice and water, the two identical swords met, Naruto's defending and Namikaze Minato's attacking. With an angry scoff, Naruto pushed with all his might against the opposing steel, but he could not knock the sword away. Seemingly oblivious to his strain, Minato had a neutral expression on his face.

Naruto wracked his brain, trying to find logic behind this strange revelation. How did the Yondaime Hokage, his father, have a copy of Hyôrinmaru? The dragon was supposed to be an original, wasn't he? Incapable of being reproduced? Then how had this spirit masquerading has his father pulled out another Hyôrinmaru?

He couldn't find any sense in it. Kakashi would have told him if his father had had these abilities. No, Naruto knew that his skills and Hyôrinmaru itself were unique, even if Tenten, Hinata, and Sasuke had swords capable of similar amazing feats. Somehow, though, this spirit had copied his weapon.

With a snarl, Naruto leapt backwards and swung his sword down, unleashing a giant beast of a water dragon that soared towards his opponent. Minato stood firm as it bore down on him, taking a single step forward and slashing his blade downward as the beast came crashing towards him. It split in half and evaporated into thin air.

Growling, Naruto unleashed a second water dragon at the blonde man, but Minato jumped deftly over top of the winding creature and released one of his own. It was slightly darker than Naruto's, more of a purple than crystal blue, but it held no less power and ferocity. Naruto leapt to the side and out of the way, dodging it as it collided with the floor and splashed around.

In a blur, they disappeared again and, in the center of the round room, clashed once more, blades locked in a fierce, inverted tug of war. Yondaime clearly had the upper hand, so Naruto knocked the sword to the side and went for another swing, this time a vertical slash. It was blocked nearly effortlessly.

Naruto would not be deterred, however, and swung a third time. It was blocked once again and Naruto wound up for fourth slash. It too was blocked, but Naruto would not allow his opponent time to set up an adequate defensive base and pointed toward the right side of the man's chest, chanting, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai!"

Almost effortlessly, it seemed, Yondaime moved to the side and the bolt of white lightning discharged from Naruto's finger missed him, if only just. Then, he swung back around with a punch straight to Naruto's nose, sending the blonde boy flying back into the wall, where he slid to the floor, groaning.

Minato walked forward slowly once more, stopping once he was at a reasonable distance, not too close but not too far, and raised his free hand, pointing with his index finger. In the same flat tone he'd used to unleash Hyôrinmaru, he recited a new phrase, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai."

Eyes snapping open, Naruto dodged to the left just in time to miss getting hit with the ferocious bolt of lightning that crashed into the wall. Miraculously, the wall itself remained undamaged, as though it had never been attacked in the first place. Naruto, however, felt the heat of the attack in the air next to him.

Leaping forward as fast as he could, Naruto lashed out with all his strength against the spirit impersonating his father, the creature that had stolen the Fourth Hokage's image. The spirit blocked, but it had apparently underestimated him, for its defense wavered and shook during the initial collision.

Jumping backwards and away from the blonde boy, Minato reached into the holster tied to his right leg and pulled out several kunai. Settling into a defensive stance, Naruto waited, but didn't have to move at all. Each and every throw sent one of the projectiles to a point that wouldn't have even hit him unless he jumped in front of it.

Then, as the man in front of him disappeared with a yellow flicker, Naruto realized, with growing fear and horror, why none of the weapons had actually been aimed at him. He spun around, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the punch that slammed into his chin, knocking him backwards.

He was on his feet again in a split second, but Yondaime had already disappeared again. A prickling on the edge of his senses was all the warning he got and he ducked down, watching as the man's fist soared into the spot his head had just occupied. A sliver of his confidence returned for a second, but it was dashed as the man disappeared, only to land a harsh knee to his gut.

Standing up weakly, Naruto sloppily dodged the next blow, only to turn around and do something he had sworn he would never do again. He ran away. As fast as he could, he headed towards the stairs, but Yondaime reappeared in front of them and slashed downwards. Naruto stopped and desperately flung himself to the side.

Rising to his feet as fast as he could, Naruto stumbled as he rushed to get away from the impossibly strong man in front of him. Yondaime disappeared again and was suddenly running alongside him, before turning abruptly to slash at him. Naruto dodged around it, but just barely.

"_This is so pathetic,"_ Naruto thought as he turned and continued to flee. _"What am I doing? Why am I running away?"_

Yondaime reached out with a hand and grabbed him by the high collar of his vest, pulling him backwards and flinging him into the ground. Raising his sword high, the blonde man swung downwards, as if to cleave the boy in two. With a short cry of fear, Naruto rolled out of the way.

"_I'm so disgusted with myself!"_

Rolling to his feet, he continued to run, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to escape.

"_It's pathetic! Pathetic!"_

"_Yes, that's you,"_ a familiar voice answered, and suddenly the world was frozen around him. Surprised and with adrenaline pumping through his veins, Naruto looked wide eyed up at the towering form of Hyôrinmaru. The dragon's red eyes bore deeply into his, and at once, a second set of eyes appeared, more humanoid, but just as red. A deeper, darker voice asked, "**Why are you running away?**"

"You still haven't discovered my next power yet," Hyôrinmaru stated matter-of-factly. "Face forward and you should be able to find it. The only thing blinding your eyes…is your own fear."

"**There's only one enemy and one of you**," the second voice told him, "**so what is there to be afraid of? My container…are you so pathetic?**"

"Abandon your fear," Hyôrinmaru stated calmly.

"**Turn and face him**," the Kyubi growled.

"Don't give an inch."

"**Advance!**"

"Never stop!" they cried together.

"If you retreat, you will age."

"**If you hesitate, you'll die.**"

Hyôrinmaru growled, "Now…"

"Kimi no Na wo Yobu!" Naruto cried as time started again, spinning around to face his enemy. "Hyôrinmaru!" (I call your name, Ice Ring)

A tidal wave of intangible power swept throughout the room, followed by a billowing cloud of smoke that obscured Naruto from view. Holding his arms in front of his face, Yondaime's lips twitched upwards just the slightest bit. His cloak fluttered and his hair rustled, but he stood his ground.

As the smoke cleared, a new from could be seen. Naruto stood still, his sword virtually unchanged save for the eight-pointed star hand guard. A diamond shaped ice block was attached to his left forearm and a pauldron of solid ice had formed on his right arm. A pair of feathery wings, also made of ice, but much thinner than the normal Bankai wings, sprouted from his shoulders. The entire floor was frozen over.

"Bishamonten," Naruto said calmly, "Hyôrinmaru."

Lifting his sword up, he stabbed it into the frozen ground with a grunt. At once, spikes of ice shot up and speared through each of the tri-pronged kunai lodged in the stone blocks. The metal shattered easily, as if it had been made of glass rather than steel, and fell to pieces around the room.

With that stoic frown still on his face, Yondaime leapt back and unleashed a purplish dragon of water from his sword. Without batting an eyelash, Naruto jumped right into it, holding up his left arm in defense. In response to this action, the diamond shaped configuration on his left forearm transformed into a large shield. It cleaved through the dragon like paper.

As the beast dwindled to nothing and he came closer to the spirit impersonating his father, Naruto swiped the remnants to the side with the shield, which shrunk back into its original shape as he stabbed forward. Yondaime didn't move fast enough to avoid the full damage of the attack and a thin cut carved itself into his right cheek.

With a dangerous glint in his eyes, Yondaime made his own stab. Naruto didn't bother to dodge, as it collided with his protected right shoulder and slid right around the icy armor. In close, Naruto reared back his left hand and curled it into a fist, then let if fly into the man's stomach, sending him crashing into the wall.

Standing up with a wheezing pant, Minato's left eye was half-lidded as he stared at the boy across from him. His left arm hung at an odd angle and his right arm was curled protectively around his midsection. His hitai-ate slipped off and fell to the icy ground with a sharp clang of steel and a clatter of metal.

In a blur, Naruto vanished and Yondaime couldn't move in time to dodge the attack that was delivered to him. Before he could stop it, the cold steel of the blonde boy's sword had stabbed straight through his stomach and out the other side. Red began to blossom on the back of his white coat as he gave a grunt and lurched forward onto the boy's shoulder. The second half of his sword fell to the ground, broken off when he had attempted to block.

"Kono Hyôrinmaru no sekai," Naruto whispered in his ear. "Kono ore no sekai…" (This is Hyôrinmaru's world…this is my world.)

As Naruto wrenched his sword free, Yondaime stumbled backwards but maintained an upward stance. He held tenderly to the stab wound in his stomach, but looked up at the blonde boy in front of him with a smile. His body began to fade away, small blue particles floating up towards the ceiling.

"I'm proud of you," the man whispered, "my son."

In a flash, he was gone, leaving nothing behind but the infamous coat of the Yellow Flash. As his Bankai faded away, Naruto picked it up curiously, looking at it. There should have been a hole in it from the stab he had given the man, but it was in perfect condition, and even the right size for him, too. Turning it over on to the back, the words "Konoha no Ryûjin" were stitched on there in red.

With a smile, Naruto draped it over his shoulders and headed for the stairs. The ice in the room had melted and all evidence that a battle had taken place was gone, leaving it just as it had been before he had come. As he reached the top step, Naruto stopped and looked back, whispering, "Thanks…Tousan."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The door to the vast room opened with a loud creak, alerting anyone in the room that someone else was entering. There was a loud clip clop, as though whoever it was stood on tall, hard wooden sandal instead of the normal shinobi sandals. Still, the room's sole other occupant made no move and did not turn around to see who had come.

Papers of all kinds filled the desk and were piled on top of it, burying it until none of the hard wood was visible from above. A single bottle of sake sat amongst them, the only break in a monotonous stream of wood-derived sheets. The bottle was only half-full, proving that someone had indeed been drinking from it.

Jiraiya crossed his arms, looking at the woman behind the chair seriously, "So, you sent the squads out, did you?"

Tsunade looked up at him, "I had no other choice."

"Then," Jiraiya said, "I take it you've heard that the Akatsuki is in the area? That they've taken Chiriku's body after having defeated him rather soundly?"

"Yes, I've heard all of that," she said gloomily. She reached for the bottle and took another deep swig, ignoring the frown Jiraiya gave her for her actions. "That's why I sent them out in the first place. Until Naruto and Kakashi get back, you and I are one of the few ninja who could actually fight on level with these people."

"True as that is, Tsunade, you're sending several good ninja out to their deaths," Jiraiya said sternly. "You and I both know that half of the people you sent out there, half of the shinobi you commanded to search for these two men, are unable to hold their own against enemies of this caliber, of S-rank caliber."

"I _know_ Jiraiya," Tsunade said angrily. "I know what I did, and I'm not happy about it, but I'm _Hokage_, damn it, and I had to do it. Even if all they turn out to be is a distraction to keep Akatsuki's attention for a few hours, it's a few hours that we desperately need. In a few years, Naruto will be the strongest Shinobi we have. Already, he's at least Kakashi's level!"

"Maybe!" Jiraiya's voice rose to match hers. "But we can't pin all of our hopes on a single shinobi! We should have learned that the day Minato marched off to battle the Kyubi! _Every_ shinobi is capable of dying, whether we want to believe that or not! Shodai died, Nidaime died, Sarutobi-sensei died, Minato-kun died, Orochimaru died! _None_ of us is immortal, Tsunade, least of all a fifteen year old boy!"

"Maybe not!" shouted Tsunade. "But he'll surpass all of us! Shodai, Nidaime, Sandaime — Sarutobi-sensei —, Yondaime — Minato-kun —, Godaime — _me_ —, Densetsu no Sannin, Hanzo the Salamander, Rikudô Sennin — he'll be better than all of us! You can see it, too, Jiraiya! _That's_ why you started training him in the first place!"

"But that's the point, Tsunade!" Jiriaya said angrily, pounding his fist on the desk. "He _hasn't_ yet! He's strong — damn strong! — but he's not strong enough yet! He's still growing. He still needs time before he has broken all of those previous records. But the way you're going, _he might die before he gets the chance_!"

"No, he won't!" Tsunade denied vehemently. "You and I have both seen it! No matter what the odds, no matter who he faces, Naruto has _never_ been forced to use the Kyubi's chakra in _all_ the time we've known him! And you and I both know, Jiraiya, that the Kyubi would _force_ its chakra on him if he thought Naruto was going to die!"

"Damn it, Tsunade, that's not the point!" Jiraiya growled angrily. "You're risking his life unnecessarily! He's strong, but even he can't face the entire Akatsuki and come out with his life! All of them are dangerous S-class shinobi who have their names practically _engraved_ into the Bingo books! Naruto is only one person!"

"And once he kills these other two, that'll leave the Akatsuki with a total of four people!" Tsunade responded in kind. She flashed four fingers in his face. "Four, Jiraiya! Four! With a number like that, you, me, Naruto, and Itachi could annihilate them! They wouldn't stand a snowball's chance!"

"But, Tsunade!" Jiraiya started.

"Jiraiya," Tsunade said seriously. "As soon as Naruto defeats these two jokers and recovers from all his injuries, I'm going to allow you and him to check up on that lead you were telling me about the other day."

Jiraiya paused, "You're serious."

"Yes, I am," Tsunade said.

"Fine," Jiraiya said through tight lips. "But keep one of these" — he stabbed a tri-pronged kunai into her desk — "on you at all times, just incase things get hairy and we need to make a hasty escape."

"If that's what it takes to get you to drop this issue, Jiraiya," Tsunade replied evenly, "then that's exactly what I'll do."

Without another word, Jiraiya left her office.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The building was long and white, with red panels along the awnings on the sides. It wasn't much to look at, considering that it was run down and decrepit, but it served its purpose well and the disheveled look made it all the less suspicious. After all, who would think that this humble and crumbling building was actually an exchange point for bounties?

That was the point. If you were a bounty hunter, you wouldn't want other bounty hunters or, worse yet, high-class shinobi to catch you off guard and steal your bounty from you, would you? So what better way to keep your prize safe and get the money you deserved than to hide it in some place no one would ever think to look?

This was the building two figures approached, one with his head and face obscured save for his demonic eyes, and the other with slicked-back gray hair and purple eyes carrying a large, three bladed scythe. The former turned to enter the building, catching the attention of his companion, "Hey, where are you going? The bathroom?"

His partner gave him no response, so, with a smirk, he said, "Fine. Wait up." and followed him.

The bathroom was indeed where they wound up, the masked man carrying a graying corpse over his shoulder. He stopped in the middle of the room, then turned to a blank section of the wall, as if it held the answer to all of life's mysteries. He pressed a hand up against the stone and, after a pause, the wall fell away. The gray-haired man could only stare.

"This is the exchange point," the masked man, Kakuzu, said stoically.

"Why the _hell_ did they pick a bathroom, anyway?" Kakuzu's partner, Hidan, asked irritably.

A man looked out from the fallen section of wall, his head bald and scarred, "This way, please."

They followed him through the wall, Hidan a bit more hesitantly than Kakuzu, and into a large dark room. At the far wall, there were thousands and thousands of what appeared to be filing drawers. As they came upon them, though, and the bald man opened one of them, Hidan realized that this was where the bounties were stored.

"Here, please," the bald man stated.

Grunting in acknowledgement, Kakuzu hefted Chiriku up and set him down on the drawer. Hidan looked on uninterestedly, "Make it quick, will you?"

The bald man was flipping through a book, looking up the face of the man lying on the drawer. As he reached it, the page marked 'Chiriku', he compared the picture to the face on the dead man and nodded to himself, snapping the book shut as he said, "There's not mistaking it. That's Chiriku. You caught yourself a big one, Kakuzu-san."

"Yeah," Kakuzu grunted stoically.

The man walked over to the lateral wall and pulled from a safe a suitcase of money, grabbing it and making his way back to Kakuzu. He set it down and Kakuzu unsnapped the hinges, checking the contents almost suspiciously.

"This place reeks!" Hidan said suddenly. "Let's go already, Kakuzu!"

"Hang on," Kakuzu said, "I need to count the money."

"I can't tell whether the stench is piss or if it's that body," Hidan said, scowling angrily, "but seriously, it's damn gross. I'm going back outside!"

Walking back outside, Hidan marched down the steps and plopped onto the last one angrily. He watched birds feed off of something on the ground, but could find nothing in it that would soothe his anger. He lifted up his sleeve and took a tentative whiff, then scoffed angrily, "Damn, that's nasty!"

He flung the cloth away from his face as fast as he could, "I was in there for all of about five minutes, and already that stench has sunk into my clothes!"

Footsteps from behind him caught his attention and he turned his head slightly, "Took you long enough, Kakuzu."

Whatever else he might have said was cut off as he realized that Kakuzu wasn't the one standing behind him. He leapt to his feet, maneuvering the cord of his scythe as several of his enemy's shuriken came flying towards him. The metal cord deflected them in several different directions, protecting him.

Pulling on the cord, Hidan flung the sharp blades in Asuma's direction. Asuma jumped out of the way, but Hidan's attack had left him vulnerable on both sides to a flanking formation, proved when Izumo and Kotetsu came towards him with their large blades drawn and poised to strike.

In that instant, Hidan also found that he couldn't move, and saw, at his feet, a long shadow reaching towards him. Sitting atop the building was a teenager in standard Chûnin garb with his hands in a hand seal and a long, dark shadow reaching out from his feet. He had a smug grin on his face, as if all had gone according to his plan.

"Too slow!" Shikamaru said victoriously.

Izumo and Kotetsu's weapons sunk past his coat and into his flesh, giving him a mortal wound. Asuma appeared again, his mouth already moving, "That's one down."

There was a long pause, as though the Konoha team was savoring its victory. Izumo and Kotetsu were the first to recognize something was wrong, which became evident as Hidan spoke once again, "Man, that hurt like hell. What's the matter with you?"

"What's going on?" Kotetsu gasped out. "We hit his vital organs!"

"Stop shaking!" Hidan whined. "That really hurts!"

"Is he…immortal?"

"No shit, dumbass," Hidan said sarcastically. "Now, who the hell are you people?"

At this point, he caught sight of Asuma's sash, "Ah, that sash. That belongs to those Ninja Guardians. Aw, man. I'm going to have to go inside that hellhole of an exchange point again."

"We're shinobi from Konoha," Asuma said firmly. "We've been ordered to either capture or exterminate Akatsuki. As you Akatsuki work in two man teams, we'd planned on capturing one of you after eliminating the other. But…" — he pulled out his trench knives — "you've got some serious power."

"Well," Hidan chuckled, "you guys really screwed up the order."

"Where's your partner?" Asuma demanded.

There was a gasp from Shikamaru, and that section of the building suddenly collapsed as it became apparent that Hidan's partner had appeared. The dust from the destruction cleared slowly, but as it did, Shikamaru appeared fine and undamaged. In fact, standing behind him, with Kakuzu's fist trapped in his right hand, was…Uchiha Itachi.

"Kakuzu-san," Itachi said stoically. "It's been a while."

"Itachi," Kakuzu breathed, "you traitor…"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach **

**Bishamonten is the Buddhist God of War. As Daiguren, Hyôrinmaru's first Bankai form, is a reference to certain Buddhist symbols and symbolisms, I thought it appropriate that the second Bankai form would also be a reference to a Buddhist symbol. In this case, I chose the God of War, Bishamonten. Thus, Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru was born.**

**How many of you knew that the second Bankai form was coming when I introduced the Hyôrinmaru Nishiki Shikai last chapter? Be honest, now. And this is the end to Hyôrinmaru's multiple forms. New attacks might be made and used, but Daiguren Hyôrinmaru and Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru are where the different forms end.**

**And, I've **_**technically**_** done as all of the people who voted on my "Yondaime's Resurrection" poll asked. I brought back the Fourth, and, at the same time, didn't, and I made him more important to the plot, and he only returned for a short time. Oh, the joy of loopholes! I would have been roasted on a spit if I actually favored one over the other.**

_**Kuro ni Aseru, Kimi no Na wo Yobu… (Fade to Black, I Call Your Name)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	10. Last Order

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**For NaruHina version, see "Chapter X: B-Side".**

**Chapter Ten: Last Order**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

"To be a traitor," Itachi said calmly, his eyes narrowing slightly, "I would first have to have been loyal to Akatsuki."

Beneath his mask, Kakuzu's face twisted into an angry snarl, "You…"

In his shock, Shikamaru's concentration wavered, something that Hidan noticed as he cried, "He released the technique!"

"Kotetsu!" Asuma shouted, brandishing his trench knives defensively, "Izumo! Fall back!"

Kakuzu's gaze moved, his eyes widening slightly as he caught sight of the sash hanging from the Jônin's waist. Murmuring to himself, he said, "So that one in the center really is…"

He glanced over at his partner, "I see the lure of money's got you for once, Hidan."

"Kakuzu, you handle Itachi," Hidan said, gripping his scythe tightly as a maniacal grin crossed his lips. "I'm going to use these other four for my ceremony! The money is all yours!"

"Works for me," Kakuzu said nonchalantly. "Just don't underestimate them. You'll get yourself killed."

"Like they could pull it off," Hidan scoffed arrogantly. He began drawing a symbol on the ground in his own blood. "If they could kill me, I'd let them."

The design, a circle with a triangle inside of it, was finished, and Hidan's voice had a menacing edge to it, "But that's not happening, is it?"

"What's he going to do with that diagram?" Shikamaru whispered, brow furrowed in frustration.

"Be careful," came Itachi's smooth warning. "After he obtains a sample of your blood, any damage he does to himself while inside that circle will be done to you."

"Aw, you ruin all the fun!" Hidan whined childishly.

"I'll take the lead," Asuma muttered, eyes narrowed. "Shikamaru, when you see an opening, stop him with your Shadow Sewing. If you can keep him occupied long enough, I'll lop off his head and hopefully stop him from interfering further."

"That's too risky," Shikamaru hissed. "This isn't like you!"

"It's the best strategy we've got right now," Asuma said solemnly. Hidan pulled the long, thick weapons out of his body, then swung his scythe into the dirt. "This guy's a hell of a lot stronger than me."

There was a pause, then, at some unheard signal, the battle began. Asuma leapt forward, trench knives alight with deadly chakra. Hidan met his charge and attacked with one of the stolen weapons. It shattered upon impact with the knives, and Shikamaru's shadow dove forward in tendrils, seeking to latch onto Hidan.

The silver-haired man, however, would not be caught, and jumped upward, launching his scythe toward his foe. Asuma dodged slightly out of the way and the three blades dug into the dirt. Hidan pulled the second stolen weapon out and zipped forward along the cord of his weapon. Like its predecessor, the second stolen sword was destroyed easily.

Hidan landed on his feet, tossing a smirk back at Asuma, "You've got some nice knives."

"So, Itachi," Kakuzu started conversationally, "are we going to fight, or just stand here?"

"I'm waiting for my back up," Itachi said calmly.

"Back up?" Kakuzu asked disbelievingly.

"Yes," Itachi replied, still a cool as if he were talking about the weather. "He's blonde, about Asuma's height, with bright blue eyes? Couldn't miss him."

Kakuzu let out a harsh laugh, "The great Uchiha Itachi needs back up?"

"Not really," Itachi said nonchalantly, "not if I don't care about my teammates, anyway. But, you see…Asuma-san and his team are precious to me. Were I to fight now with no concern for their safety, they would most assuredly die."

"Compassion makes you weak," Kakuzu growled.

"Not really," Itachi replied coolly. Without warning, his right hand whipped out, tossing three kunai in the direction of the other battle and knocking Hidan's scythe away from Shikamaru. One of the three blades fell off, sliced away from the whole.

Red Sharingan eyes turned back to face their opponent's teal, the owner's lips forming syllables, "One word, Kakuzu-san…Boom."

Kakuzu had time to slam his hands together as his eyes widened and say just one word in response, "Shit!"

The Itachi standing near Kakuzu exploded in a violent gush of chakra, kicking up a large cloud of smoke that obscured the results. A dark figure flew out of the haze, skin dark and undamaged, but his cloak's sleeves and upper front nearly disintegrated. Stitches covered him all over, dominating the visible portions of his flesh.

Another Itachi appeared from nowhere, standing right behind his former ally. Pushing a single finger forward, Itachi leaned down and whispered in Kakuzu's ear, "That's one."

The finger sunk through Kakuzu's flesh as if it were liquid, letting out a violent spray of blood. Kakuzu collapsed forward, for all appearances, dead. Itachi looked at his bloody finger calmly, murmuring to himself, "Four more to go."

"This isn't looking good," Asuma muttered, scowling. "Itachi can handle that other guy, but if things get too serious, we'll all be caught in the crossfire."

"Then we just take out this guy," Kotetsu said reasonably, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Easier said than done," Shikamaru whispered gravely. "He's moving too quickly for us to hit him, let alone trap him. To attempt anything particularly ambitious would be tantamount to suicide."

"Shikamaru's right," Asuma admitted. "If we weren't here, Itachi could probably wipe the floor with these guys. As long as we are, Itachi can't pull out his best stuff without worrying about us getting caught in the middle. But if we try to run, it's the same thing. Fighting at his current level, holding back as much as he is, Itachi wouldn't be able to buy us enough time to run away without pulling out all the stops. It'd be a moot point."

"Three years ago, I never thought I'd say this, but," Shikamaru murmured, brow furrowed, "we need Naruto."

"I know he's good," Izumo said, "but what difference could Naruto make?"

"A lot," Asuma said bitterly. "Shikamaru's right. We need someone who has experience fighting guys like these. We need someone on their level. We _need_ Naruto."

"I suppose," a familiar voice chimed in, "if you need me _that_ badly, I could lend you a hand."

A tall figure appeared in front of them, his white cloak billowing around him and the flames printed onto the bottom seeming to move in the wind. His blonde hair was free and spiky, uninhibited by the hitai-ate tied around his right biceps, and, printed on the back of his cloak were the words, 'Konoha no Ryûjin', obscured only by a green sash and a black sheath.

Naruto tossed a smirk over his shoulder, "But you owe me one."

He unsheathed his sword, shouting, "Oi, Itachi! Want to switch?"

The dark-haired Uchiha glanced in his direction, shrugged and replied with, "Why not?"

In a blur, the two of them had traded places and Itachi stood in front of Asuma and his group, speaking to them calmly, "Asuma-san, Kotetsu-san, Izumo-san, Shikamaru-san, please find cover."

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, whisker marks on the cheeks," Kakuzu grinned as he stood, shedding his cloak, "you must be the Kyubi Jinchuriki. Your head is worth even more than that other guy's."

"I like my head where it is, thanks," Naruto said coolly, lifting his sword up. The sky darkened and water swirled up from the blade's hilt, twisting around the sharpened steel like twin snakes. A downward slash released a gigantic dragon that wound forward. Kakuzu raised his hands in a seal again, his skin turning dark, but it proved meaningless as the beast swerved away from him.

Instead, it struck Hidan's legs, washing over him as he swore up a storm and tried to lift himself out of the water, "Damn it! What the hell?"

As the torrent subsided, the sodden clothes Hidan was wearing started to ice over and the wet ground became slick and hard. Kakuzu's brow knitted together as he scrutinized the scene, then turned his inhuman eyes back on the blonde teen grinning at him. In a soft growl, he spoke, "Your target was never me. You washed away Hidan's circle."

"I guess you're the brains out of the two of you?" Naruto said calmly, hair and cloak fluttering in a sudden breeze. He jerked toward the left, taking a step back with that foot and holding his sword next to his hip as if he were about to draw it from a scabbard. Kakuzu raised an eyebrow at this, but merely settled down, prepared to guard against this new threat.

The sword slashed in a horizontal arc, sending a thin curve of light shooting forwards at astounding speeds. Kakuzu activated his armor defense and held his arms up in a block. The arc crashed against his skin violently, but was cold and freezing instead of sharp and stabbing. He felt it try to cut through him, but it could not. It was _water_.

The rest of the beam dug into the ground behind him, cutting gouges into the soft soil. On his arms, and from these new trenches in the earth, ice grew, spiking up behind him and frosting over on his skin. He flexed his arms and the thin layer of frozen liquid shattered like delicate glass.

The sky was still dark and both fighters' breaths came out in little clouds and streams of steam, before dissolving into the air. Naruto's eyes, bright and vibrant, seemed to glow with some hidden power as he reached up and unzipped his vest down to his collarbone. With a little nudging, a luminescent red orb, no bigger than his thumbnail and perfectly spherical, popped out, hanging from a strong-looking black thread by way of a dragon's claw made of pure silver.

"That looks valuable," Kakuzu remarked greedily. He eyed it with a hunger that looked like it would strain his sight.

"It is," Naruto smirked, leaving the pendant to hang innocently, "but you'll never get the chance to learn why."

Kakuzu didn't respond, merely grunting as four creatures detached from his back, standing up as hulking black masses with grotesque masks as their only real identifier. Immediately, one of them melted into a pile of goop. Kakuzu didn't seem bothered or surprised by this fact, so Naruto revised what Itachi had told him and Jiraiya about his opponent.

Kakuzu was incredibly greedy to a fault, often putting money above the objective of his mission. He had five hearts, four of which turned into these mask creatures and were extremely dangerous. The fifth heart stayed in Kakuzu's body, sustaining him. Therefore, one needed to take out all five hearts to kill Kakuzu.

Naruto's smirked widened a bit. And Itachi seemed to have taken care of one of them already, leaving four more to be destroyed.

"Orochimaru didn't exaggerate your powers," Kakuzu said in his raspy voice. The remaining three creatures tensed behind him in preparation. "Your hitai-ate, though, reminds me of the first Konoha ninja I fought. The First Hokage, I mean."

A slight widening of his eyes was all that gave away Naruto's surprise, "You fought the First?"

Kakuzu snorted, "Are we here to fight, or not?"

Naruto grinned, "Right."

A swing of his sword summoned a colossal water dragon that immediately sought out Kakuzu. The man merely stood still, but one of his beasts took over. A ball of fire gathered in front of its open mouth, and was then launched forward like a bullet. It collided with its liquid adversary, exploding upon contact.

The dragon would not be defeated so easily, however, and swallowed the ball of flames before it detonated. Water sprayed everywhere and steam rose in thick clouds from the point of impact, obscuring Kakuzu's widened eyes as he realized that his technique had been halted by mere water.

A rushing sound was all the warning he got before a second dragon came barreling through the mist, red eyes gleaming maliciously. Kakuzu leapt overtop of it, watching as it consumed his lightning mask. He almost let the relief wash over him; it could be salvaged as long as it was intact.

It was dashed nearly as quickly. Naruto appeared in front of the frozen mask beast, sword sinking into the ice as if it were butter. Kakuzu could only watch in horror and rage as the ice was cracked by a thin knife of the same substance and his beast's head was split nearly in half.

Turning around, the blonde unleashed another serpentine monster at him, sending the blue beast soaring upwards effortlessly. Kakuzu silently commanded his Fire mask to unleash another blast to destroy the water dragon and moved his hands into a seal. The instant the small ball of flame was released, Kakuzu's skin turned a dark brown and hardened.

There was another explosion of water and superheated steam as the fire clashed with the dragon. Kakuzu, however, was unharmed as he landed safely on the ground, the earth around his feet forming slight craters as his hardened and denser body came to a halt. He looked up at the boy with a glare that could kill a Genin.

"Two down," Naruto taunted lightly in a sing-song voice.

He received no warning before the Fire and Wing masked beasts launched a combined assault on him. The resulting explosion and flames quickly engulfed him and he disappeared within their depths. A deep sense of satisfaction welled up inside of Kakuzu, bringing a smile the stretched across his face beneath his mask.

The sound of steel cutting through flesh and fabric reached his ears and he turned around as quick as he could, his neck cracking loudly at the speed. The blonde boy stood up from his kneeling position, flicking the blood off his blade with a sharp swipe to the side. His left hand jerked up, a tri-pronged kunai spinning on his middle finger for but a moment before he holstered it again on his left thigh. Belatedly, Kakuzu noticed that, though he was right-handed, his kunai and shuriken holster was strapped to his left leg.

"You…" Kakuzu growled, staring at the remains of his Wind mask.

"It's a very useful technique," Naruto stated neutrally, his face set in stone. "Fast, untraceable, incapable of being copied, and it uses _no chakra whatsoever_."

Another kunai seemed to leap into his left hand and was promptly thrown into the dirt. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, "I can tell where everyone within twenty meters of this kunai is standing. As long as it has a pulse or has a significant amount of chakra, I can find it."

Glowing blue eyes snapped open, "I'm very lucky I know that technique, or else I would very likely have been torn to shreds by that last jutsu of yours."

"I'd recognize that anywhere," Kakuzu grumbled irritably, eyes narrowing. "Where did you learn the Hiraishin no Jutsu?"

Naruto smirked lightly, "You seem to be forgetting that my father is its creator. Did you really think it impossible for me to know his most powerful technique?"

"Whatever," Kakuzu drawled in his raspy voice. He silently recalled his last beast. "I know when I'm outmatched. You got the element of surprise on me, kid, or else I would have beaten you into a bloody—"

As his final mask moved to rejoin his body, it was intercepted by the blonde teen. With a sickening squelch and a sharp ring, the Fire mask was bisected down the middle by the silvery blade of Hyôrinmaru. Immediately, Kakuzu's rage sprung to the surface again and he began shifting into his most powerful form as he let out a roar.

He never got the chance. Faster than he could track, Naruto's sword had sailed forward and sunk into his chest and through his heart. His final heart. With a gasp, he started to stumble backwards, desperately trying to gather air in his lungs as his vision began to fade. His bare back collided with the soft, wet ground, driving the oxygen from his chest.

His final sight was a shining gleam as the blonde slashed at him and detached his head.

Rolling his shoulders back, Naruto let out a sigh, his eyes closed. He paused a moment, then frowned. Muttering to himself, he said, "Two more, huh? Hidan over there and…that…_plant_ guy over in the trees."

He reached up and tugged at the gem around his neck. It came free rather easily and he held it up, as if examining it, "Guess it's your time to shine."

Clenching it in his fist, he shouted, "Itachi, Minna-san, out of the way!"

Alarmed, Itachi and Asuma's team dodged out of the way, just in time to avoid being swallowed up by a dragon of icy water. Hidan wasn't so lucky and took the full brunt of the attack, suddenly finding himself frozen in place and unable to move. He struggled, but it was pointless. He was immobilized from the neck down, "Damn it!"

"Get as far away from here as you can," Naruto warned his comrades. He held up the gem, which began to glow, "Kimi no na wo yobu…" (I call your name)

Itachi's eyes widened into saucers as he saw the gem begin to glow. Turning to his comrades, he hissed, in a tone that brooked no argument, "Run!"

Immediately, the group of five fled the scene, dashing off into the woods at blinding speeds. As soon as he felt they were far enough away, the blonde let out a sigh and finished his sentence, "…Hyôrinmaru."

There was a bright light and an intense feeling of vertigo as he shot up into the air like a bullet, his feet pressed against hard blue scales and his nose tickled by the cool wind. He opened his eyes and found himself standing atop the crowned head of Hyôrinmaru, the ground several meters below him.

"It works," he breathed. "That old pervert actually made this thing right!"

"Indeed he did," came the answer, but it wasn't spoken aloud.

Naruto took in and let out a deep breath, "This summoning gem of his actually works. So this is what he needed my blood for."

He reached up and replaced the gem. It seemed to zoom out of his fingers and into the three toes of the silver dragon claw, attached snugly. He looked down at the ground below, at the awed and motionless Hidan and felt the two enemy signatures within range. Itachi and the others were long gone.

"There are two of them," Naruto said calmly, talking to the dragon. "We need to scatter them to the winds."

"Then," Hyôrinmaru started out slowly, "we're going to use it?"

"Yes," Naruto replied. "A Kidô modified to such a level and with such destructive potential that only one name really suits it — Mega Flare."

With a grunt that sounded more like a growl, Hyôrinmaru spread his large, feathery wings and shot up into the sky. Naruto glued himself to the beast's scales with his chakra, kneeling down as the large creature performed various aerial stunts to place himself at an optimal angle for his attack.

Once that angle had been found, the dragon stopped in midair, bobbing up and down slightly as he flapped his great wings. His mouth opened, revealing two opposing rows of dangerously sharp teeth. Between his jaws, an azure blue orb began to form, growing slightly larger with each passing moment.

Finally, as it began to grow too large to contain, the great beast leaned his head back, Naruto holding onto his spiked crown as his feet glued him to his scales. With a sudden jerk, the dragon's head shot forward, as if he were spitting something out. The ball of energy leapt from his mouth, shooting downwards at blinding speeds.

The collision with the ground was a sight to see, as the blue orb pulsed upon impact, but the explosion that resulted was even more magnificent. The azure ball grew in size, quickly consuming the entirety of the bounty station and most of the surrounding area, casting a pale blue glow on the untouched trees and all that was spared its wrath. Then, in a flash of white light, it vanished.

A crater was left behind, however, one that was several meters deep and nearly twice as wide. Pulling out a tri-pronged kunai, he tossed it into the crater and closed his eyes, waiting for it to land. When it did, a couple seconds later, he let out a sigh. He could sense no one, no presence within the range of the kunai.

"Good job, Hyôrinmaru," Naruto said calmly. With a nod, the beast began to fade away. Naruto leapt off of his head, doing a flip in midair as the dragon vanished in a flash of blue. He too vanished in a flash, this time of yellow, and appeared next to the kunai he had thrown, landing effortlessly.

"Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, Hidan, Kakuzu, and Zetsu," the blonde recited as he picked up his kunai. He looked at it, frowning thoughtfully. "That leaves Konan, Tobi, and Pein."

Naruto's glowing blue eyes gleamed fiercely.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

An orange haired man looked up at his partner, both his and her features hazy in the dark tower. Clouds hung in the sky outside, blanketing the entire village in darkness. Blue eyes, inside of which were several thin rings that surrounded his pupils, seemed almost to glow in the dark.

"He's late," the orange-haired man said calmly. His partner didn't respond. "Zetsu is never late."

"Should we assume the worst, then?" the blue haired maiden asked in a soft, melodic voice. It was easy to see why the villager's called her an angel, if the voice hadn't already given it away. She was easily a very beautiful woman, with delicate features unmarred by war and famine and luminescent eyes.

"We cannot be sure what has detained him," the orange haired man said, turning his gaze towards the dark shadows that surrounded them. A small frown pulled at his lips, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Zetsu is not one to engage in combat," the woman remarked calmly. She didn't seem overly concerned with the supposed fate of her comrade, and neither did the man across from her. It seemed almost as if they were discussing the abysmal weather outside, rather than whether or not someone had died.

"True," the man replied, "but it is not entirely impossible that Hidan and Kakuzu got into another fight that is simply lasting longer than expected. After all, that's what Zetsu does, isn't it? He's our 'lookout'."

"How nice," she said stoically, "it sounds almost as if you care."

He glared at her, her lips quirking into a small smile. With a flash of sudden lightning, however, it was gone, almost as if it had never been there. The man scoffed, turning his gaze back to the shadows of the room as rain pounded against the walls and ceiling.

"Things are progressing smoothly," the man said, changing the subject. "With our recent sealing of the two-tails and Tobi's capture and delivery of the three tails, it won't be long before our plans come to fruition."

"And then, the world will be at peace," the woman said softly.

"Yes," the man acknowledged. "But, before that, we'll have to take care of Madara. We cannot allow him to influence the outcome or else everything could fall apart. As long as he is a factor, we cannot ignore his inevitable clash with us."

"You're right," Konan said calmly, "but he may not be our fiercest opponent in all of this."

Pein glanced in her direction, "You speak of the Namikaze boy? The container of the fearsome Nine-Tailed Fox?"

"Not only he," Konan said warily, "but Jiraiya-sama as well."

"I fear you are right," Pein admitted. "Alone, perhaps we could defeat them. But should they fight together, then one of us could never be enough to have any chance of victory."

Konan looked at him, "Then let us pray that day never comes."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun shined brightly, hanging high in the midday sky as it bathed the people beneath it in warmth and light. The streets were bustling with activity, citizens and ninja alike going about their daily business. Vendors called out to passersby, offering their products in a way that might appeal to the average person.

Carved into the front of a large, long mountain, the faces of the five Hokage stared out over the village, watching its inhabitants stonily and casting a solemn gaze over those they had sworn to protect in life. Each wore a stern expression and, despite the large crack in the Sandaime's chiseled features, none of the firmness of their faces was lost to age or wear.

Three people sat out in this sun, their faces and upper bodies protected by the banners of an outdoor restaurant with the words 'Ichiraku Ramen' spelled out on the outside. Two were girls, sitting on either side of a boy with spiky blonde hair, the one who was doing the actually talking. He was reading from a sheet that was written in his untidy scrawl.

"When the war of the beasts brings about the worlds end," Naruto read, "the Goddess descends from the sky, wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift…everlasting."

"Wow," Hinata and Tenten whispered, watching him as he smiled and held up a finger.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess," he continued, reading from a different sheet. "We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest."

"Loveless, Act one," a voice said. The three turned around, watching as Jiraiya smiled at them and sat down next to Hinata. He cast a glance over at Naruto, shaking his head lightly. Naruto smiled, setting the piece of paper down as his mentor ordered a chicken ramen from the shop owner, Teuchi.

"You remembered," he remarked, folding the papers up and sticking them inside his kunai pouch.

"How can I not," Jiraiya thumped his middle and index finger up against the side of his skull, "when you've beaten it into my head?"

"You _are_ the one who told me to write my own books if I thought yours weren't any good," Naruto pointed out, smirking lightly.

"I suppose I was," Jiraiya conceded. He ate some of his ramen, turning to his godson as he swallowed. "So, how far have you come along with that piece of yours?"

"I'm working on Act two," Naruto told him. "There are a few bits of it that I'm not all that confident of, so it's a slow process, but still quite satisfying. Here…"

He pulled out a sheet of paper, reciting, "There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess, Hero of the Dawn, Healer of Worlds…"

He trailed off, "I'm stuck here. I can't decide what to put next."

Jiraiya chewed on more of his ramen, then was struck by an idea, gesturing for Naruto to give him the paper. As he did, the older man grabbed the nearest writing utensil and scribbled a few words down, then handed the piece of paper back to the blonde, who read it aloud eagerly.

"Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul," he echoed the words on the paper. He scribbled more beneath that line, adding in his own bits now that Jiraiya had started him off. "Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end…is nigh."

"Wow," Tenten said as Naruto put the paper away, eyes wide. "Where did you guys learn to write like that?"

"I don't know where he learned it," Naruto said, finally turning to eat his own ramen. Through a mouthful of food, he continued, "but I learned it from him."

"That's such a good story, Naruto-kun," Hinata said softly, waiting for her food to cool a little bit before she ate. "It's starting to get a little dark, but the emotion, the feeling…it's so _intense_."

"I can't wait until it's finished," Tenten remarked as she dug in to her meal. "That one's so good, they'll probably still be reading it a thousand years from now."

Naruto swallowed, looking at her eagerly, "Do you really think so?"

"Mmhm," Hinata answered for the other girl. "You really have some talent, Naruto-kun."

"I'm sorry to ruin this little outing," Jiraiya said, suddenly deathly serious. His ramen was completely gone, "but, Naruto, you and I have a mission we're going on."

Naruto nodded as he finished eating, "All right. What should I pack?"

"Nothing," Jiraiya told him. "For this mission, we need to be as inconspicuous as possible. You have thirty minutes. Meet me at the north gate."

Without another word, he stood and left.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Tsunade keeled over and gave a great lurch, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the ground. After a couple seconds of retching, she paused and panted for breath. Then, her back arched again and she tried, in vain, to stop the bile from rising up the back of her throat. She was unsuccessful.

The process went like this for a few moments as the alcohol was purged from her body, landing on the ground with a splash and mixed with her stomach acid. Finally, as her body finished, she stood shakily, still panting as if she had run a marathon. Her drinking partner helped steady her.

"Geez," Jiraiya said, holding onto her as she tried to regain her footing. She still swayed a little, "you're even worse with sake than I am. Let's take a break."

Somehow, the two of them managed to cross the whole village without knocking into anything or tripping and found themselves leaning back against a bench under the bright sunlight. Jiraiya had one hand atop the scroll that he always carried, the other on his knee as he tried to keep himself steady.

"You're dealing with someone who's strong enough to keep Akatsuki in line," Tsunade said seriously, no sign of a slur in her voice. "We have no idea what his power is or how strong he is…and you and Naruto are just going to waltz right into his turf, just like that. You _have_ to be drunk."

"Yeah," Jiraiya looked about to stand, "I guess I should get going, then."

"Come back alive," Tsunade said suddenly. She looked down at her hands, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "If I lose you too, I…"

"Are you going to cry for me?" Jiraiya laughed drunkenly. "I'm honored! I don't suppose I'll get as many tears as Dan did, though."

"Asshole," Tsunade muttered angrily.

"All right, how about we put your gambling skills to use," Jiraiya suggested. "You always pick the losing bet. Put everything you have on me dying, and, in return, I'll come back alive and well."

"What?" Tsunade asked quietly, appalled.

"Haha! I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" Jiraiya laughed again. "I'm very grateful to you, you know. Getting dumped always makes a man stronger. And if he hasn't experienced it enough to laugh about it or use it as material, he can't fulfill his duties as a man."

"So it's the man's responsibility to be strong, eh?" Tsunade asked amusedly.

"Pretty much," Jiraiya confirmed. "But, then again, men aren't meant to pursue happiness."

"Bah," Tsunade said, a laugh in her voice, "you men are all alike. Without women around, there'd be no one to reject your advances and toughen you up!"

"Very true!" Jiraiya chuckled.

"Send one of your toads if you get in a tight spot you can't escape from," Tsunade said seriously. "I'll come and back you up immediately."

"I don't think so," Jiraiya remarked. "No matter what, you absolutely have to remain in the village. This place relies on you to keep it together."

"There are plenty of other worthy candidates for Hokage," she said, looking down.

Jiraiya, who had stood up earlier, said, "How are people supposed to be comfortable living here if their leader keeps changing? You're the best person for the job in the village and that's that."

"We've got Kakashi," she said, "and Naruto, eventually."

"Kakashi's a given," he argued, "but Naruto still has a little more improving to do before he's ready, even if you did see fit to give him your necklace."

"You're one to talk," she remarked, "you crammed him full of power. You even taught him the Rasengan!"

"Yeah, and maybe I shouldn't have," he grinned. "It felt like I was teaching Minato again!"

"Namikaze Minato," she mumbled, "the resemblance is uncanny."

"Minato had talent you only see once a decade, at best," he laughed mirthlessly. "No one like him has been born in a while…besides Naruto, anyways. He was such a nice kid, but his guts and his desire to succeed were the fiercest I've ever seen. And, in the blink of an eye, he was Fourth Hokage. I never had kids, so I wouldn't know, but…if he was my son, I'd be bragging all the time."

"Hearing you say that," Tsunade commented, "makes me think of how different they are, too. I mean, he has a lot in common with his father besides his looks, but he's definitely got quite a bit of his mother in him, too. It'd be hard if you made me choose which one he's more like."

"A female ninja of the former Uzumaki no Kuni," Jiraiya said lightly, searching for her name.

"His personality and ninjutsu style," Tsunade began, "are very similar to Uzumaki Kushina's."

"That was her name!" Jiraiya exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "I remember, with that red hair, the constant jabbering, and that tomboyish demeanor, she was just like one of the boys!"

"Kushina became so beautiful as she grew up," she said, "but Naruto does look remarkably like his father."

"That's why I see _him_ in Naruto," he insisted. "I have to admit, I've come to think of him as my own grandson."

He picked up his scroll, "Okay, so I'll be off."

A thought struck him, "Oh, and one last bit of advice. Be careful of Root."

"I know," she assured him.

Jiraiya laughed, "That's a relief!"

As he left, Tsunade couldn't shake the dark feeling that this would be the last time she saw him.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

In the Hidden Rain Village, the weather was much as it usually was: raining. The sky was dark and overcast, puffy clouds indistinguishable from one another as they let loose a torrential downpour that would have soaked the inhabitants were it not for the protective gear they all wore.

Tall buildings reached towards the heavens above, but none were nearly as tall as the one building that mattered most, the building where the leader of the village resided, atop a tall tower with impressive architecture. Most did not often meet with this man, much less see his face and know his true name. They simply called him God.

The only one who had any contact with this man they treated as a deity was his right hand, the one referred to only as 'God's Angel'. All knew her face, and all knew that she was a beauty unlike any other in any other village.

Two figures stepped from their boat, both wearing coats to protect against the weather with the hoods up to disguise their appearances. They walked down the streets, wandering through the many roads and taking in the buildings surrounding them as they went. No one paid them any mind, despite that they looked slightly out of place.

Atop a tower, a man stood out in the rain, his cloak hiding his body and his orange hair defying both the water and the forces of gravity. To the woman behind him, he spoke, "Konan, when I stop the rain, use your jutsu to find these intruders."

"I'll take care of it," she responded calmly.

He flashed through hand seals, saying, as he stopped on the last one, "Here I go."

"Understood," she said, eyes half lidded as she put her hands in a seal.

"Welcome!" the white haired bartender cried jovially as two rain-nin walked into his bar. Off to the side, the blonde haired waiter rolled his eyes.

"It's just the two of us," the bearded one said as he took off his hat.

"So bring us some drinks and side dishes," the scarred one said. As they sat down, he turned to his companion. "Isn't today Sunday?"

"I heard Pein-sama had some stuff to do," the bearded one said. "These days, he might have to go to other countries."

"But to have it rain off schedule," the scarred one muttered, "this has never happened before."

"It must be quite a mission, then," the bearded one said.

"But if it goes on like this," the scarred one whined.

"Hey!" the bearded one exclaimed angrily. "Pein-sama has done quite a lot for the people of the streets. Just bear with it for a bit."

"Sorry to keep you gentlemen waiting," the bartender smiled, clasping his hands together.

"Hey, where's our food and drinks?" the scarred one asked.

"Since it's our grand opening today, we have some special services," the bartender said. He moved his hand into a hand seal. "The two of you sure are lucky today!"

In a puff of smoke, he was replaced with a white haired ninja. As the two rain-nin scrambled away, the ninja leapt onto the counter, grinning at them. The bearded one yelled, "You! Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the one who's going to do the asking around here," Jiraiya said playfully. "And I've got lots of questions!"

The walls around them morphed from wood and plaster into flesh and blood, the door disappearing completely. Before they could react, the soft, cushy walls had engulfed their hands and feet, trapping them. The blonde waiter, now dressed eerily similar to the Fourth Hokage, was sitting on the fleshy floor, waiting.

"From your seemingly low standards and mannerisms," Jiraiya said, "I'd guess you're the bottommost of the cannon fodder, right?"

"Where the hell are we?" the bearded one demanded.

"Inside the belly of my frog," Jiraiya stated plainly, as if he were speaking of the weather.

"You…You're that Sennin!" the bearded one shouted. "And that waiter! He's the Ryûjin, isn't he?"

"I thought I told you that I'm the one doing the questioning here," Jiraiya pulled out a soft black feather. Naruto winced lightly, rubbing at the back of his right shoulder, "didn't I?"

"What are you going to do with that feather?" the scarred one asked warily, eyeing it nervously.

"It's for tickling!" Jiraiya said excitedly. "If you don't want to get tickled to death, you better answer my questions like a good boy! Now, about your leader…Pein…"

The blonde teen stood up, walking forward, "I've got a better idea."

He leaned over the bearded one, closing his eyes halfway and propping himself up with his right arm. He leveled his strongest glare at the man, the atmosphere around him growing heavy and thick with malice as the air was driven from the ninja's lungs. In the darkest growl he could manage, he said, "_Talk_."

Stuttering nervously the man cried out, "Pein-sama resides within the tallest of the western towers!"

As Naruto backed away, the scarred man asked, "Are you…with the rebel Amegakure faction?"

"Rebel?" Jiraiya asked, blinking. "I thought this country was in civil war."

"I'm not surprised, considering how isolationistic this country is," the bearded man smirked. "The civil war is over…and we won! Pein-sama…he destroyed the former Amegakure single-handedly!"

"Impossible," Jiraiya muttered. Frowning, Naruto glanced at him. "No matter how strong this 'Pein' is, Amegakure's leader, Hanzou the Salamander, is renowned to the point that every shinobi everywhere will recognize his name!"

"That's right," the bearded man said. "Hanzou was not only very powerful, he was also highly cautious. Approaching his side is a feat in and of itself. Guards were stationed in 24 hour rotations and even children were searched before being allowed to see him."

"And how was Hanzou killed?" Jiraiya asked, face set in stone.

"That's just it," the bearded one laughed, "we don't know!"

Jiraiya let out a sigh, "I can't believe it…Hanzou, defeated? By one man?"

"This is a god we're talking about," the bearded one giggled insanely, "his jutsu are quite fearsome. But the true horror…the true horror of Pein-sama lies in his heart of steel! Those who might threaten his ideals are crushed mercilessly. Men, women, children, it didn't matter. If they knew Hanzou, they were exterminated. It was judgment."

A grin grew on his face, "Exactly like that of a God."

Pein raised his hands to the sky and the rain suddenly stopped, though dark clouds still rumbled far overhead. Without turning, he commanded, "Do it now, Konan."

"Yes," she replied, hands still in a seal. Her body peeled apart into countless pieces of paper, scattering to the winds and shaping themselves into thousands of little butterflies that fluttered outwards, searching for the ones who dared disturb the peace and harmony of the Hidden Rain Village.

As a frog surfaced from the river, it opened its mouth wide. From inside its belly, two figures pulled themselves free. The first was the bearded man, who turned around to address the frog as the scarred man picked saliva off of his clothing, scowling, "Hurry back to the Leaf Village. Find Ibiki. He'll know how to handle that guy."

"That's disgusting, you know," the scarred man said, lip curling in a sneer as the frog disappeared.

"Shush," the bearded man said. To himself, he muttered, "I really hope they fall for this."

He laid a hand against one of the pillars, walking forward with his partner and trying to act like he fit in. Neither of them noticed the paper butterfly as it fluttered on by, vanishing behind one of the corners and slowly forming into a beautiful woman with dark blue hair and an origami rose tucked above her right ear.

Standing atop a tower, and orange haired figure looked out over the city. Behind him, sheets of paper formed into a woman, who said, "It's Jiraiya…"

"Jiraiya-sensei?" the orange-haired man asked, his long hair pulled into a ponytail. "That takes me back."

"…and Naruto," Konan finished. Pein was silent, so she ventured. "What do we do, Pein?"

"Kill them, obviously," Pein said stoically, "and take the Nine-tails from the boy. I hold no love for our old sensei, and I _did_ bring this body out to kill an intruder. Tell me where he is."

"As you wish," a piece of paper broke off from her body and folded into a paper airplane, gliding in his direction. Her body started to fall back apart. "I'll hold them off until you get there."

"Don't mind me," Pein said. "If you can handle it on your own, do it."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Jiraiya and Naruto, disguised as the ninja they had captured, looked up as thousands of sheets of paper fluttered down from the sky, taking on a life of their own. As one, they managed to say, "What the—?" before it wrapped around them and trapped them in a prison with only their eyes free.

In front of Jiraiya, a woman formed, holding a spear made out of paper. As she poised it for his heart, however, and made to strike, the real Jiraiya rose from the shadow his full-body cast had made, taking a deep breath. He blew out, releasing a ball of fire, "Katon: Endan!" (Fireball)

As the paper caught fire, the cast that contained Naruto collapsed inwards and released a puff of smoke. All it had trapped was a Kage Bunshin. The woman frowned thoughtfully, staring at the white-haired man emotionlessly, "That can only be your toad silhouette technique."

"I always thought you were dead," Jiraiya remarked as he stood, Naruto appearing next to him with his sword drawn. "But, all this time, you were just a bunch of paper scattered to the winds, eh, Konan?"

"Y-you're," the bearded man stuttered as he stumbled away, "God's angel!"

"Now you're an angel?" Jiraiya teased. "A 'Messenger of God', as it were?"

"Leave now," she said to the bearded man, ignoring the other two.

With an anxious nod, the man leapt away frightfully. Naruto turned to Jiraiya, "Who is she, sensei?"

"An old student of mine," Jiraiya muttered. He raised his voice, asking Konan. "Who or what is Pein?"

"You don't need to know, sensei," she said calmly. She cast a glance at the blonde boy. "You seem to have forgotten about us anyway."

A pair of angelic wings formed on her back, composed of paper, and lifted her high into the air. Jiraiya gave her a disappointed stare, frowning sadly, "You really think you're an angel, don' you?"

"I must kill you," she said. From her wings shot hundreds of papers, each one folded into a point at one end. "It is the will of God."

Jiraiya rolled out of the way, cheeks bulging as he went through hand seals at light speed. Naruto thrust his right palm out, energy glowing around the skin as he called out the name of his counterattack, "Hadô no Sanjuuichi: Shakkahô!" (Red Flame Cannon)

A ball of red energy shot forwards at blinding speeds, engulfing a large section of the spear-like pieces of paper and incinerating them as if they weren't even there. Using his hand as leverage, Jiraiya spun around and spat a huge ball of oil at the woman, soaking her and her precious paper through.

Like a snake, Jiraiya's hair whipped out and wrapped around her as he cried, "Your paper can't unfold if it's soaked through!"

He gave her a look, "You always did love your origami. I remember you were one of the kindest out of all the kids. What happened to the other two? The rumors that they're all dead are lies, aren't they?"

She looked down but didn't respond. Jiraiya frowned, "I knew it. Pein was one of them too, wasn't he?"

"What do you hope to accomplish by revealing yourself to us again?" she asked stoically. "You've practically delivered the boy to us on a silver platter."

"Not what you think," Jiraiya said, "especially considering you're part of Akatsuki. I'd heard you were all dead. To think that this is what really happened…"

"Sensei?" Naruto asked quietly, looking unsurely at the older man.

"Just pay attention to the conversation," Jiraiya hissed back.

"You must be thinking, 'if only I had just listened to Orochimaru'. But you didn't. You chose to save us instead," Konan told him. "And now…we act to make his plans a reality."

"Then Pein," Jiraiya concluded somberly, "must be him."

He met her gaze steadily, "A few years after I left, I started hearing your names come up occasionally. Anytime there was trouble, whoever opposed your side would wind up dead."

"You have no idea what happened after you left," she spat angrily, the paper beginning to ruffle.

"You're absolutely right, I don't," Jiraiya admitted shamelessly. "But there's no doubt in my mind that what Akatsuki is doing is wrong!"

Konan opened her mouth to reply, but before she could get a word out, Naruto's sword went sailing through the air. It disappeared into an area between the pipes that surrounded them, followed shortly by a twin gasps. The woman fluttering above their heads donned a look of surprise, then vanished into nothingness as the paper that had constituted her fluttered to the ground.

From the area Naruto's sword had flown in, a petite figure stumbled forward past the pipes, her body covered in a cloak decorated with red clouds. She looked up at them, blue hair in disarray and her eyes widened in shock as blood slowly stained her hands, which were held up to her chest. Hyôrinmaru lay there, embedded through her heart. With a final step forward, she fell to the ground in a thud.

Quietly, Naruto retrieved his sword, flicking the blood off it before sheathing it. Jiraiya looked at him, just as shocked, "Naruto…you…"

"All of Akatsuki must die," Naruto whispered shakily as he met Jiraiya's eyes. He looked away, down at Konan's body, unsure. "_All_ of them…"

"So, you killed Konan," a voice called. The two of them looked up to see an orange-haired man with his long locks tied up in a ponytail, save for the strip that traveled down his right cheek, framing his eyes. Rage smoldered in his gaze, but his countenance was calm. "I suppose I have to kill you, then, too."

"You've changed, Nagato," Jiraiya said, frowning.

The orange haired man didn't give a verbal response, instead clapping his hands together and flying through hand seals. Naruto and Jiraiya tensed as a summoning array drew itself onto the wall of pipes behind him. A large, crab-like creature burst through it, sharp pincers aimed at the two ninja in its path.

"Nadegiri!" Naruto cried, slashing at the air twice. Two thin arcs of water leapt forward, one vertical, the other horizontal, and bisected the large beast twice. The pieces vanished in a puff of smoke.

"So you've perfected it," Jiraiya remarked, glancing at his partner. "Nadegiri, I mean." (Slaying Several with One Sword Sweep)

"I had to do something during my two weeks off," Naruto retorted, eyes glued on his enemy. "After all, Tenten-chan and Hinata-chan had obligations to their team and the village. They couldn't be with me the entire time, could they?"

Jiraiya smirked a little, but it dropped as he turned his attention back to their opponent, "Nagato…there are so many things I want to ask you. Where's Yahiko?"

"I do remember someone by that name," Pein said stoically. "He's been dead a long time."

"Nagato," Jiraiya marveled quietly, shocked and horrified by what that could mean. "What happened to you? You used to be so…"

"Nothing happened. This is just another fight," Pein said easily. "Too many people have died here. Their pain has helped me to grow."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto growled at him, eyes narrowed angrily.

"Even the most ignorant child will eventually grow up as they learn what true pain is," Pein responded. "It affects what they say, what they think…Eventually, they become real people."

"That's not true!" Naruto shouted. "People grow up by learning to care for others! Someone who knows only pain…can cause only pain!"

"Do you really think that abandoning the love for your friends is the right way to become an adult?" Jiraiya demanded of the orange-haired man, his face set in stone.

"The both of you…you're still just normal people," Pein said, a slight laugh in his voice. "But I, living in the center of an infinite universe of pain, have grown into something more."

"What?" Jiraiya asked slowly.

"That's right," Pein leered. "I've grown from a person…into a god. As a god, what I say, what I think, become the laws of a god. You two…you're still just people. I don't really expect either of you to fully comprehend what I'm saying."

"I can't believe you're the same child that I met so long ago," Jiraiya muttered.

"Things that I couldn't comprehend as a human are crystal clear now that I'm a god," Pein continued. "And, by the same token, I've noticed there are things I can do as a god that I could never even dream of doing as a human. To put it simply, I have evolved."

"This guy is…" Naruto murmured disbelievingly.

The white-haired ninja scowled, "What are you trying to accomplish?"

"I'm going to put an end to this pathetic world and its wars," Pein said arrogantly. "It will be an act of God."

"Then to what end are you chasing the tailed beasts?" Jiraiya asked.

"I suppose I can tell you, since both of you are going to die anyway," Pein replied, blue eyes frosty. "Using the tailed beasts, I will create a new forbidden technique. A technique that will eradicate an entire country in less than a second. It will be the ultimate technique, a weapon of unprecedented power and scale."

"How can you even think of something like that?" Naruto exploded, knuckles white. The air was steadily getting colder. "Violence of that kind could never stop wars!"

Pein turned his eyes over to Jiraiya, "When countries quarrel with one another, what is the quickest way to end the dispute, sensei?"

"Answer Naruto's question," Jiraiya stated firmly. "Stop dodging."

"I will give my ultimate weapon to the warring nations," Pein stated. "After all, people who have a weapon will inevitably use it."

"What are you trying to say?" the Toad Sage's eyes narrowed.

"Hundreds of millions of people would die in an instant," Pein declared, eyes gleaming victoriously, "and the survivors would be terrified. All the people…All the world…will learn what true pain is! My technique will breed fear and serve as a deterrent, and wars will quickly cease. One might say this world of ours is still growing and becoming more balanced.

"Pain will quicken the world's growth, as it did mine. Our world is still in infancy, but the hand of god has come to guide it down the path of maturity."

"You want to teach the world what pain is, to help it grow up faster," Jiraiya repeated, summarizing. "And you think that this is your responsibility?"

"I do," Pein answered. "I am a God of Peace, after all."

"If you are a God of Peace," Naruto stated slowly, his voice even but thick with emotion and his sword drawn. Waves of power swept away from his feet, a bluish aura glowing around his body, "then I will become a God of War!"

A flash of light blinded both Pein and Jiraiya, forcing them to shut there eyes. There was a soft rustle, then a gasp. As Jiraiya's vision came back, he looked up to see Naruto had moved across the room, his sword stabbed through the orange-haired man and wings of ice spread wide.

"Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru," Naruto whispered, eyes narrowed.

There was a crack, then a puff of smoke. Pein vanished, replaced by a thick log with a hole in it from the stab and a long crevice in it, reaching from the top and bottom of the sword impaling it. It split in half a second later, engulfed in a thick layer of pale, unbreakable ice.

"Over here," Pein called, standing atop a large, chameleon like creature.

"Is that another one of your summons?" Jiraiya asked.

"To me," Pein stated, "you're little more than an insignificant child whose growth has been stunted."

Jiraiya laughed, going through hand seals, "A kid telling me to grow up? That's rich!"

When the smoke cleared, Jiraiya stood atop a large toad carrying a shield and a club that looked vaguely like a tuning fork, "No time to waste with this guy, Gameken!"

He bit into his hand, using his fingers to wipe blood on his face and make the design beneath his eyes more elaborate. He looked up, suddenly serious, "I'm going to use Sage Mode."

"What?" Gamaken shrieked. "Are you…?"

"Yes," he replied, "I'm going to summon the Ni Dai Sennin. Stall him for a little while, yes?"

"Got it," Gamaken murmured.

Pein jumped on the lizard's tongue and was taken into the beast's mouth. An instant later, they vanished from view, invisible. Jiraiya looked around, "He's gone! And… so is Naruto? Damn. Since he's gone, we can only defend."

Gamaken's only response was to life his shield. Going through a few hand seals, Jiraiya jumped, slamming his feet against his summon's head. Instantly, a transparent barrier was erected and spread out, covering the area.

In response, it seemed, a seven-headed dog leap out of the wall high up, diving towards Jiraiya and Gamaken, both of who were too shocked to react immediately. They didn't have to, however, because a dragon of water appeared from nowhere and slammed into the beast, knocking it into the wall and freezing it in the gigantic hole it made there. It seemed unconscious, then vanished.

Creating a hole of their own, Gamaken and Jiraiya escaped into the city outside. Immediately, they were besieged by what looked to be a crow summon, which attacked them with its large beak. Gamaken swung his gigantic shield around, clocking the beast right in its jaw and sending it flying. It vanished in a puff.

A large, ox-like summon was pitted against them next, marred by several studs pierced through its head and body. Leaping forward at the beast, Jiraiya cried out, as he did hand seals, "Gamaken, go back! It's my turn!"

The beast rammed into him, throwing both the white-haired ninja and its own head into a wall and creating a large hole there. There was silence for a moment, then a loud, annoying voice called, "Brat! Why do you always summon us in places like this! No wonder he's always angry!"

"Ah, don't say that, Ma," a patronizing voice answered. "Little Jiraiya was forced to do this…"

"Pa, shut up!" the annoying voice called back.

"I apologize for meeting you here," Jiraiya's voice said, "eldest and big sister."

"But, brat," Ma asked, "didn't you say this would chase away girls? That's why you disliked it!"

"No choice but to dislike," Jiraiya said. "My opponent is the Rin'negan."

"Whoa," Ma's voice echoed, "Rikudô's eyes? I didn't know they still existed!"

"They do," Jiraiya said. "So, let's go."

A different looking — toad-like — Jiraiya stepped out of the hole in the wall. On each shoulder sat an old-looking toad, one male with sparse white hair, the other female, wearing what looked to be a shower cap. The male spoke up, "So, where is this guy, anyway? I don't see him."

"It's not your fault," Jiraiya said, a goatee formed on his chin. "He's hiding inside a summoned animal that can blend in with it's surroundings. Naruto has performed a similar feat, it seems."

"Something like a chameleon, you mean?" Ma asked. She threw her webbed hands into a seal. "I'll find him in no time!"

"By the way, Jiraiya-chan," Pa asked, "I realize you need us because this guy's so tough, but why are you fighting him in the first place?"

"He's a former student of mine," Jiraiya said simply.

"I ain't heard nothing about no other student of yours!" Pa exclaimed, looking shocked.

"He's the destined child?" Ma concluded. "Then why are you fighting him?"

"He didn't grow up to be the man I hoped he would," Jiraiya summarized.

"Well, whatever the case, if he ain't turned out right, we have to kill him!" Pa said.

"Found him!" Ma cried, turning her head to the left. Her tongue shot out, wrapping around midair and revealing the chameleon. With what seemed to be ease, she lifted the large beast off of the ground and threw it back into the harsh earth. Pa spit out what seemed to be a beam of pure energy, slicing through the wall above the beast and sending it tumbling down onto the scaled creature. In a puff of smoke the lizard vanished.

"That's the Rin'negan, eh?" Ma asked. "There definitely the eyes described in the legends."

The orange-haired man stood stoically amongst the wreckage around him, staring calmly at the great Jiraiya. He could not sense the boy who had been with him, no doubt a display of the child's amazing prowess in the ninja arts and his own special abilities. Slowly, he raised his hands and made the correct seals, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

Two more orange-haired men, both wearing identical cloaks, appeared at the original's feet, kneeling. Jiraiya took notice, but merely reaffirmed his resolution, "You're the one who's going to destroy the world…and it's my duty as your teacher to stop you."

In a flash, the one with long, unbound hair leapt forward, attacking. As it came near, Jiraiya lashed out with a vicious kick and sent him back towards his fellows. He crashed into the ground, the earth beneath him cracking on impact. Smiling slightly, the original comment, "Very nice."

Jiraiya didn't have time to respond. A dragon leapt down from the pipes and engulfed the downed body in water, splashing all over the place. The two others leapt away to avoid being caught, landing a safe distance away. As the water froze into ice, a figure dropped down from above, plummeting like a rock.

Naruto landed with a loud crash, driving his sword through the heart of the frozen body with his crystalline wings spread wide and far. The ice cracked and split, crumbling into pieces beneath both the force of the landing and the pressure of new ice creeping outwards from the attack.

Spinning around as he stood, Naruto swiped his sword, unleashing three more dragons that clambered over one another like vicious wolves trying to best one another for the first bite. Even as the dragons bore down on the other two bodies, Naruto swept through more hand seals. As the remaining enemies ducked under his beasts, the splattering water began to take on a new form.

"Sensatsu Suisho!" Naruto cried, the creatures of water twisting into thousands of needles. At one, the tiny projectiles flew towards their targets, who dodged out of their path with ease. Still Naruto made seals, and the splashing needles reformed yet again. Several drill-like spikes of water lanced forth. "Suiton: Suiga no Jutsu!"

The original body managed to escape, but the rotund one wasn't quite so lucky. His left leg was sliced from his body, throwing him off balance. Naruto threw a kunai at the empty air, crying, "Sensei!"

Taking his cue, Jiraiya leapt up, grabbing the thrown weapon as he did, and threw it with all his might at the falling body. The sheer force behind the attack drove it straight through the man's skull, killing him instantly. He crashed against the ground with a dull thwack, motionless. Jiraiya landed seconds later, feeling satisfied.

Sensing an impending attack from behind, Jiraiya lashed out with a kick, sending the original body back into the wall, stunned. Naruto flew forwards, flashing through even more hand seals as he called back once more, "Sensei! I need some oil!"

Jiraiya and the two toads on his shoulders grinned, leaning back as their cheeks bulged and their chests puffed out. Naruto suddenly halted, behaving similarly as he brought the fingers of his free hand up to his lips. The three of them unleashed a torrent of oil, soaking the orange-haired man to the bone. Even as they continued, Naruto blew out a blazing ball of fire. Jiraiya recognized it as "Katon: Karyuu Endan".

Mercilessly, the original body was consumed. Jiraiya seriously doubted that the man could possibly have survived that, "God" or not. They had won. Against all odds, against a foe that seemed to get stronger and stronger each minute, they had managed to defeat him. But something was still bothering him. If Pein was Nagato, then what happened to the black-haired boy he remembered? He didn't see anyone that even looked remotely like that.

Still, they had won. To the burning corpse, he spoke, "I taught you a long time ago, Nagato, to never underestimate your opponents."

He turned and sighed, closing his eyes as the transformation of Sage Mode began to fade. Behind him, a voice whispered in his ear, "Didn't you just remind me not to underestimate my enemies, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya was a little unsure what happened. The moment the voice had whispered in his ear, he had spun around, a horrible dread settling in his stomach. He was sure he was going to die, but Naruto appeared in front of him as if from nowhere, wings and the shield on his arm raised defensively. Frighteningly enough, those had all but crumbled under the incredible might of the blow.

From there, it was pretty straightforward. The force behind the attack had been diminished enough by Naruto's defense that no serious damage was dealt by the initial impact, but it had still sent them crashing through the pipes and onto the lake on the other side. Jiraiya landed on the water, fine but a little shaken. Naruto landed as well, but his Bankai had vanished and he was panting. It was a mark, Jiraiya thought, of Pein's strength that Naruto had to use up so much energy to defend one attack.

Another thing Jiraiya noticed was the scroll tucked in the back of Naruto's pants, blood splattered along parts of the white. He was impressed, "You…"

"I managed to seal up the two that we killed," Naruto said between breaths. "I didn't think the charred one would be of any use."

"Good job," Jiraiya muttered.

He didn't get the chance to say anything else, as, standing in the hole their departure had made were four men. Two of them were new faces, though both had at least one piercing on their face and matching orange-hair, and one of them was the supposedly charred corpse they had killed a few moments before.

"Pein," he muttered, "what are you?"

"The name Pein is shared by all of us," the final one said, glaring.

"You," Jiraiya stuttered as he recognized the face and hair style, "you can't be…! Yahiko? But…he just said that you're dead! And…you can't have the Rin'negan!"

"You can still see Yahiko in me? How funny," the final man remarked. "I suppose only his teacher would be able to see what remains of Yahiko. But, make no mistake, he is dead. The man standing here now is Pein, no one else."

"Enough of your bullshit!" Jiraiya shouted. "Are you Nagato or Yahiko?"

"We are Pein," the man responded in a menacing tone as they all leapt from their perches. "We are GOD!"

One of them landed right in front of the blonde, hitting him hard enough to send him back several meters. Jiraiya grew concerned, turning to look for his pupil, "Naruto!"

The Peins used the opportunity this presented, taking Jiraiya by surprise as they converged on him. Before he could do anything, he found himself impaled on three long, black objects. The pain followed quickly, and then came the realization that he wouldn't survive this encounter.

"Sensei!" Naruto's voice called. With renewed strength, he struck the one that had hit him, knocking it back and stunning it for a moment. He came upon one of the bodies attacking the white-haired ninja, poised to strike. Jiraiya could see, from the corner of his eye, the last body, the one that Naruto had just hit, look up.

A second later, all three Peins moved away from Jiraiya, one turning around to block Naruto's attack. The other two flanked him, weapons positioned to stab. That's when Jiraiya realized it. The bodies could see from each other's point of view. That meant that, as long as one stood back and observed, all the others could see everything.

Sword still defending, Naruto leapt up over the strange black objects, lashing out with a kick to each of their faces. The both of them went flying, and they didn't look like they'd be getting up any time soon. With some fancy swordplay, the blonde sliced off the third one's hand, sending the weapon tumbling down to the water's depths. A punch took care of that one, temporarily.

As the final Pein came up behind him, Naruto seemed to be expecting it. He twisted his sword into a reverse grip and, with both hands holding tight, jerked it backwards, past the right side of his stomach. With a squelch, it became embedded in the chest of the Pein he and Jiraiya had charred earlier.

With all of his opponents, taken care of, Naruto rushed over to the white-haired man, crying, "Sensei!" over and over.

"Naruto," Jiraiya said somewhat weakly, "I'm not going to make it."

Alarmed, Naruto looked around, spotting a small strip of land far enough away to buy him a little bit of time. Grabbing a firm hold of his mentor, the both of them were teleported over to that spot with naught but the sound of a fluttering curtain to follow them. As the original laid the man back against a large lantern pole, two clones popped into existence and began chanting as they sat down.

Instantly, a large, rectangular barrier was erected, glowing a bright golden color and translucent enough that it could be seen into. Immediately following it, a second barrier of slightly larger size was made, completely transparent and covering the first. A flash of light reflected off of it, then both Naruto and Jiraiya seemed to disappear.

"I've set up Kyômon and Danku," Mirror Door and Splitting void, two of the most powerful barriers. Naruto pushed thoughts like that away. "I don't know how long they'll hold."

"Naruto," Jiraiya stated firmly. Ma and Pa were silent. "Pein can see from all of his different bodies' perspectives. What one sees, they all see. Secondly," — he coughed violently, red blood tainting his lips as his Sage Mode left him more and more — "the secret to the true Sage Mode, the secret to perfecting Ryûjin no Torai…is to separate yourself from the dragon within you."

"What?" Naruto asked, bewildered.

"You must draw on his power," Jiraiya elaborated, "but you must control it — harness it — instead of merely accepting it as it is. Only then can you truly advance to the level needed to defeat Pein. The real one, the real body behind Pein, isn't there, Naruto. Nagato…Nagato wasn't there. Tell that to Tsunade for me."

"Okay," Naruto said solemnly.

"And Naruto," Jiraiya wheezed. He seemed to be struggling to get the words out, "I've got…one last…last order…"

Naruto leaned forward, hanging onto every word. His eyes were beginning to water, but he didn't dare let the tears fall just yet. "Live…"

"I understand," Naruto whispered.

Jiraiya let out a sigh of relief, "I could…really…go for…one of those apples…"

With a final exhale, Jiraiya died, and all was quiet for a moment. Ma and Pa disappeared silently, but the soft puff the made didn't even faze the blonde teen sitting next to the body of the legendary Jiraiya. Finally, at length, he spoke, "My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow…"

He stood, hefting Jiraiya onto his shoulders, and whispered to the air, "No matter where the winds may blow…"

In a flash of yellow, they disappeared.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun hung low in the sky, casting an orange glow down upon the village. The last vestiges of daylight, of sunlight, flittered around the streets and atop the trees and buildings, casting shadows that danced across the ground and the walls. A soft wind blew through the alleyways, thousands of voices lost to its tender mercies.

Five great faces loomed out from a large mountainside, overlooking the village with stern gazes and hard, stony features that would make any Hyuga proud. A crack marred the third face, but it took nothing away from the harsh and protective countenance of the young third Hokage.

The streets were deserted, which was odd for the time of day that it was. Night had not yet set in, so several people should still be out. But an ominous air hung over the village, driving all who could feel it indoors and away from whatever could be the cause. It would make things easier on one person.

A blond appeared in the middle of the street, walking solemnly towards the five great faces. An arm was slung over his shoulder, and his other shoulder and back were supporting the weight of a motionless white-haired man, whose head drooped and whose eyes were closed. Jiraiya of the Sannin hung limply over his student.

"_I remember, there was this great big apple tree up there," Jiraiya said, gesturing with his arms to give his student an idea about this tree's size. "Now, normally, that isn't all that strange a thing. But these apples were very weird."_

_He pulled one out of nowhere, holding it up for Naruto to see. It was apple shaped, it looked like an apple…but it was pure white instead of red or green. Jiraiya grinned, "This is an apple plucked from the largest apple tree planted atop the Hokage monument. That is the only place in the whole world where you can find white apples."_

And indeed it was. In all of the places the older man had taken Naruto and his entourage, none of them had ever been gifted with the strange Kyakko Whites. That had surprised Naruto greatly. What made Konoha and the Hokage monument so special that Kyakko Whites only grew there?

"_When I die," Jiraiya said suddenly, his tone serious, "I want to be buried at the base of that tree. I want to be able to look up at those apples, so round, so beautiful, so delicious, even in death."_

"_Where's this coming from all of the sudden?" Naruto asked uncomfortably, trying to lighten the mood back up. _

"_Plus, you'll probably bring your lady friends up there for a romantic evening of raunchy steaminess!" Jiraiya grinned perversely. Naruto snorted, throwing one of the special white apples at the man. It hit him and his head jerked back, but he righted himself a moment later to reveal that he had caught it in between his teeth._

_Shaking his head, Naruto laughed quietly, "What am I going to do with you?"_

"Naruto," a voice called softly. The blonde stopped walking, but didn't need to look behind him to know who it was. He didn't need to look behind him to see Tsunade standing there, trying her best to be strong and nonchalant and failing just barely. He didn't want to see it.

"It was Pein," Naruto said hoarsely. "Jiraiya said…He said to tell you, 'The real one isn't there'. He said to make sure that you knew…that you knew that Nagato's real body wasn't there."

"Real body?" Tsunade asked quietly.

Naruto pulled out the scroll with one hand and tossed it to her, saying, "That should answer your questions."

"Where are you going?" it wasn't a question, so much as it was a demand to know.

He was silent for a moment, then started walking again, "To bury him where he wanted to be buried when he died."

"And where's that?" came the follow up question.

Naruto looked up at the Hokage monument, at the sun setting just behind it, and answered her with more finality that he thought he could muster at that moment, with his voice as harsh and raw as it was from crying.

"Under the Apple Tree."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach (and Loveless comes from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII)**

**This chapter dedicated to Zack Fair, SOLDIER, First Class, who gave his life for his best friend. Yes, Zack, you became a hero.**

**Several things delayed the writing and release of this chapter, but, as I know I never do, I doubt any of you really want to know what those things are. As of right now, there will be approximately thirteen chapters to SUTFH, give or take one chapter. That leaves three more, one of which is the epilogue (which is more of a tool to transition into the sequel). **

**If all goes well, we should be done by early to late March, maybe April. **

_**Embrace your dreams…**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	11. The Reigning Deity

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**For NaruHina version, see "Chapter XI: B-Side".**

**Chapter Eleven: The Reigning Deity**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The cave was deep and dark, endless shadows flitting across the walls and hiding the seemingly unending ceiling above. Water dripped slowly from the various stalactites and down onto the stalagmites. The floor, obscured by boundless black, was barren of all life and of any sign of man.

Upon a statue of a grotesque figure, two people were perched. One, with spiky orange hair and glowing blue eyes, sat atop the head of the figure, one leg dangling and the other with its foot pressed up against the statue's skull. His arm rested loosely atop his bent knee while the other was on the cool stone, propping him up. His intense blue eyes, with thin black rings surrounding the pupils, stared seriously up at the ceiling.

The second person was also a man, but his features, his face, his eyes, his ears, his body in general, were practically invisible. They would, for all intents and purposes, remain unseen by the general public, and indeed, mostly in private. An orange mask with a spiral design engraved into it hid his face from view, the ominous black band covering his ears.

"Our plan is coming to fruition," the second man said, perched atop on of the statues fingers in much the same way his companion was. He didn't bother to look up to see if the other had heard him. He knew that he wasn't being ignored. "I have recently captured the other three tailed beasts. All that remain are the Eight Tails and the Nine Tails."

He looked over at the other man, his red eye gleaming maliciously in the dark, "It'll take a few days to seal them up again, but after that, we'll be ready to take care of the other two."

"The Nine Tails," the first man muttered to himself, "the Eight Tails."

"Yes," the second man confirmed flatly, "and you…you will be the one to capture and defeat the Kyubi's container."

"Namikaze Naruto," the first man said softly. His eyes narrowed as he glared up at the ceiling, his limp hand clenching into a fist. "We shall see…which of us is truly a god."

"Getting sentimental, Pein?" the second man asked almost teasingly. There was a hint of humor in his voice, a sick and twisted sort of humor that no man should ever have. It was decidedly fitting for the sinister and mysterious figure known alternately as Tobi and as Uchiha Madara, progenitor of the Uchiha Clan.

"Call it what you like," Pein replied dismissively, scoffing at the other's statement. "In the end, it seems that this was inevitable. After all, in order to accomplish true peace…the God of Peace must defeat the God of War. Isn't that right?"

Madara chuckled, "I think you're letting this whole 'God' thing go to your head, Pein."

Madara looked over at his companion again, his half-lidded red eye barely visible through the hole in his mask, "When the time comes, I will protect your real body for you while you send your Six Paths to capture the Nine Tails. You are still essential to my plans, so I can't have you dying on me just yet."

Pein finally turned towards him, arching a single orange eyebrow, "I'm still essential to your plans? I was under the impression that you didn't need me for anything but gathering the Nine Beasts, Madara. Perhaps _you_ are the one who is getting sentimental."

"Sentimental?" Madara laughed a sick, evil laugh. "You flatter yourself. The _only_ reason I need you is to seal the Nine Beasts up. Everything else…I could technically do by myself."

"So you say," Pein said airily, turning his gaze back to the ceiling, "but it's easy for you to make such claims when you have not fought that boy. Namikaze Naruto…I underestimated him, and I paid the price for it. Not only did I lose two of my Six Paths, but I…I also lost Konan."

"I see," Madara replied neutrally. He switched the subject. "Do you think Aizen will keep his end of the bargain?"

"Aizen Sousuke is a very shrewd man," Pein said after a moment's pause. "He could very well plan to betray us and take the Beasts for himself, to do with as he pleases…or he could be as honest as he claims to be and simply be interested in accomplishing the same goals that we seek. He has…lost someone to war, too."

"His wife," Madara clarified. He scoffed. "Love. Such a thing is fit only for fools. After all, if he hadn't loved her in the first place, he wouldn't have been so devastated when she died. I have to wonder, though, just how far he'll go to get her back. That _is_ what he wants the beasts for, isn't it?"

"Aizen is a very shrewd man," Pein repeated. "He has contributed much to our cause, including a great deal of funds and two of the Nine Beasts. However, I have very little faith that he will be satisfied simply by watching us reach our goals. Aizen will most certainly have something planned for the day when we have the last two."

"Aizen may be shrewd," Madara admitted, "but he has none of the raw power needed to back it up. Let him and his little pet try to take the Beasts from us. On that day, Aizen Sousuke will join his wife in eternal slumber."

"I don't think things are going to be that easy," Pein said firmly. "You're not giving Aizen enough credit. He managed to manipulate things enough to destroy any chance Otogakure had of mobilizing an army and get Namikaze Naruto to assault Orochimaru's stronghold in the middle of Hoshigakure, all so sneakily that only Jiraiya-sensei noticed something was amiss. No…we must beware of Aizen."

"I see," Madara muttered neutrally. "But…we haven't heard from him since Orochimaru was killed. For now, we must concentrate on the final two Tailed Beasts, the last of the Nine. Once we get the three we have now sealed up, your Six Paths will head to Konoha capture the Nine Tails. With Namikaze Naruto out of the picture, the most resistance we'd have to worry about would be very minor. The Eight Tails will seem trivial."

"Agreed," Pein intoned as he stood. With a winking blur, Madara vanished. "Namikaze Naruto…Konoha no Ryûjin…Bishamonten…Whatever name you take, I shall defeat you."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The room was shrouded in dark, illuminated only by the luminous numbers on the alarm clock across from the bed. The windows were shut tight, curtains of ominous black blocking out the daylight that should have been streaming in. In the silence of this room, the only sound that could be heard was the quiet sobbing of one man.

Clothes were strewn haphazardly all over the floor, casting the wooden floorboards below them into anonymity. Over the back of the chair was laid a white cotton coat with flames printed onto the bottom hem. The door to the closet was ajar, revealing row upon row of nearly identical clothing.

The bed sheets were messy and undone, tangled and balled up in most places, and the pillows were at random spots on the mattress instead of at the head. Even the pristine white of the bed and its furnishings could not cut through the inky gloom of the room, nor let in the moon shining brightly outside the window.

There was more than just one person in the room, however. Two more people sat with him, each watching helplessly as he mourned the loss of one of the most important people in his life. One stroked his hair as he cried into her lap, his tears soaking the black fabric of her pants, and the other rubbed circles against his back.

Hinata looked down at her beloved sadly as he continued to sob, her delicate, gentle fingers running through the strands of his blonde hair. Despite her best efforts, however, it seemed as if he couldn't be soothed by her touch. She felt helpless, knowing that nothing she could do would save him from this pain.

Tenten's eyes were locked on her own fingers as she rubbed smooth circles into his back, the black fabric that he wore rippling with every pass she made. She felt just as helpless as Hinata, could only watch as the man she had grown to love suffered alone in his agony. It was heart-wrenching.

Looking up, Hinata met Tenten's eyes and they shared a nod. Leaning forward slightly, Hinata started quietly, "Hitomi no oku ga…boyakete mienai. Kokoro no soko no…kimochi wa aru no?"

"Sekai no," Tenten continued for her, singing just as softly, "subete wo…te ni shita to shite mo, sore ga…anata no shiwase na no?"

"Why," Hinata whispered into his ear, "kodoku na sora wo miageru no? Why? Waratte misete yo. Kotoba ni suru no ga heta na anata no seikaku wakaru kara…"

"Tooi mukashi ni…nani ga atta no?" Tenten went on. "Shisen wo sorasu…anata no hitomi ni…"

"Hitori de…samishii," Hinata carried on, "yoru ni dakishimerareru sonna atatakasa shitteru?"

"Why?" Tenten asked rhetorically. "Doushite katachi ni kodawaru no? Why? Kokoro wo hiraite. Ooki na nimotsu wo seotta anata wo ukeirerareru chikara aru wa…shinjite mite…"

"Jiyuu na hito wa," Hinata sung gently, "bukiyou de…"

"Jiyuu na hito wa," Tenten mirrored, "fuan de…"

"Why…kodoku na sora wo miageru no?"

"Why? Waratte misete yo."

"Kotoba ni suru no ga heta na, anata no seikaku wakaru kara…"

"Shinjite mite," they finished together.

Hinata could feel Naruto tighten his grip on her, heard him sniffle as his sobs began to subside. Catching Tenten's eye, they shared a smile as Hinata hugged his head to her stomach as she whispered, "This is that kind of warmth, Naruto-kun."

"We're strong enough, Naruto-kun," Tenten smiled softly. "So…try to trust us."

"I don't know what I'd do without you two," Naruto admitted weakly, his blue eyes glassy.

"And you'll never have to find out," Hinata told him resolutely.

Sitting up, Naruto pulled both of them into a hug, sniffling lightly. Laughing a short chuckle, he said to them, "Why do I gaze up at the lonely sky? Because it reminds me…it reminds me just how fortunate I am…to have you two."

He tightened his grip around their waists, smiling a watery smile, "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess."

Leaning back, he and the two girls fell onto the mattress, his head resting on the last remaining pillow at the top and their heads lying softly against his chest. He looked down at both of them in turn, at Hinata's pearly lavender eyes, shining with love and compassion, at Tenten's chocolate brown eyes, just as loving and gleaming with happiness.

"Last order, huh?" Naruto looked up at the dark ceiling, talking to the air. He took a deep breath in through his nose. "Live. I think I can do that."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun shined brightly, illuminating the pale blue sky and casting luminous glows over the puffy white clouds coasting lazily through the air. The trill of birds flitting through the wind lilted delicately over the land, singing a serenade of peace and joy to the world around them. Leaves swayed gently in the breeze, but would not be torn from their perches.

The ground was decorated with sparse patches of lively green grass, the tiny blades swaying in the swirling wind. The dirt and pebbles crunched and crackled as a single person stepped out onto them, his tanned feet clad in black sandals and unprotected from the elements. He wore much of the same color over the rest of his body, save for the white coat fit snugly over his shoulders and flowing down to the middle of his shins.

Naruto stopped a moment, his coat fluttering as he closed his eyes. Spreading his arms out slightly, he took a deep breath in through his nose, taking in the scent of nature. The air was crisp and cool, yet carried with it the warmth of summer. The breeze tousled his hair, the blond strands tickling his nose.

With a slight smile on his face, he exhaled slowly, his gloved fingers insensate to the wind. The smell of bright red roses mixed with the scent of lavender still clinging to his clothes, wafting upwards and into his face. A third scent, clinging to his collar, joined it, that of vanilla and musk. A smile curled on his lips. Hinata and Tenten.

Hinata was away with Team Eight — Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Yuuhi Kurenai — on a mission to more firmly establish connections with Nami no Kuni, the Land of Waves. Ishida Mitsunari was to go with them and return to his life as the royalty of that country. With a few years of training under Jiraiya at his command, Mitsunari would be much more able to defend his territory than anyone else of his line. Tsunade hoped that he would be able start a Hidden Village there.

Tenten was, likewise, away with her team, Team Gai — Hyuga Neji, Maito Gai, and Rock Lee — on a mission. She, however, and her team were doing border patrol. With the former Rice country and the Hidden Sound Village decimated and left free for the picking, Iwagakure and Kumogakure were the two superpowers who had the most to gain from assimilating that territory into their own. As elites, Team Gai was to defend the border of Fire Country and scout enemy movements for two weeks, at which point they would be replaced.

That left him alone for another day, with nothing to do but try to do as Jiraiya had spoken in his last moments, to try to follow his last order. In order to follow Jiraiya's last request, though, he also had to perfect his Ryûjin no Torai, the Senjutsu that would ultimately allow him to defeat Pein and anyone else he had to face. After all, Tobi had to go, too.

That was where things became a little problematic. He had been alone to practice this art for nearly a week, and still he had had no true success in his endeavors. He had tried, over and over, to tame the power that Hyôrinmaru let him borrow, but he could not control it, could not force it to do his bidding instead of taking him over.

"_The secret to the true Sage Mode, the secret to perfecting Ryûjin no Torai…is to separate yourself from the dragon within you."_

Naruto let out a sigh, eyes downcast, "Easier said than done, you lecherous old man."

And that was true. Perfecting Ryûjin no Torai was a _lot_ easier said than it was done, despite Jiraiya's confidence in him. Despite their joint efforts, and their efforts were indeed formidable when joined, neither he nor Hyôrinmaru had found a way to separate the power from the dragon's consciousness. It seemed veritably impossible.

"_You must draw on his power, but you must control it — harness it — instead of merely accepting it as it is. Only then can you truly advance to the level needed to defeat Pein."_

"Okay," Naruto sighed, unsheathing his sword, "here we go."

Slowly, he moved his left hand up and began the seals, but he was interrupted before he could finish. A flash of light reflected off of his sword, reflecting into his eyes. With a groan, he shut his eyes tight and turned his head to the side, moving his sword out of the light's path. Glaring at the shiny metal, he felt a well of frustration bubble up inside of him.

Then, inspiration struck. He needed something to focus on to keep the dragon's conscience from merging with his. Once he had managed it the first time, then he wouldn't need it again, which solved the problem of concentrating on it in battle. It seemed so obvious, now that he had thought of it. Quickly, eagerly, he shed his gloves and stuffed them into his kunai pouch.

Suppressing a wince, he ran his index finger down the length of his sword, cutting a small slice into the skin. Bringing it up so he could see it, a bulging drop of blood about the size of a small pebble quivered atop the skin. With a slight smirk, he brought his finger down onto the flat side of the blade and began to draw the symbols.

When he finished, he looked proudly at the Hiraishin Jutsu-shiki slowly drying on the polished steel. Licking the rest of the blood off his finger, he keep his eyes on the characters hastily scrawled over his sword and started the hand seals. As he neared the final one, he could feel the technique begin to take effect and quickly concentrated on centering Hyôrinmaru's consciousness into that small formula.

There was a slight struggle as he finished the hand seals, as though the jutsu was fighting to take control of him, but he was much more stubborn than it could ever be. With a final violent push, the pressure that had been building in his skull vanished and he could feel the changes come over him.

Bones popped and muscles snapped, becoming stronger and much denser. His vision blurred, then was suddenly a lot sharper than it had ever been. His hair lengthened, his bangs parting to the sides as they grew down to his chin. The rest flowed backwards, surging down his back and reaching nearly to his thighs.

He lifted a hand, studying the new shape of his fingers and the tipped fingernails that could now pass for claws. The wind blew, sending several strands of his now silver hair into his eyes for a moment. A second later, it died down and his hair moved back into place of its own will.

"So," he mused aloud, his voice smooth and deeper than he had known it could be, "this is the true power of Ryûjin no Torai."

He breathed in, and the universe was at his beck and call. A smirk curled on his lips, cyan blue-green eyes dancing with excitement, "Let's try them then, shall we? These spells, the ones that I have had such difficulty with before…Let's see if they're any easier in this form."

Holding out a hand, he pointed his palm towards a collection of trees that led out into Fire Country and away from Konoha. Slowly, he floated upwards, his arm changing angle every few seconds to keep the point of impact the same. Finally, when he had reached a height where he could see the true damage of his attack, he said, "Hadô no Hachijuuhachi: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho." (Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon)

A blinding flash of spirit energy leapt from his hand, lashing out faster than the human eye could track. There was an explosion, so bright that Naruto couldn't properly see what he had hit, then a loud and quick boom. An instant later, the blast was gone, and all that remained was a wide, smoking crater.

A small smirk curled on his lips as he examined his unblemished hand. This was the power he needed to defeat Pein. There was no doubt about it.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The day was clear and bright, the yellow-gold sun hanging high in the sky and illuminating all of creation. The temperature was warm, but not hot, and was perfect for a day outside training or playing a game of tag. The wind blew, but gently, caressing the faces of all who stood in its way with a brisk, relaxed cool.

On this day, six figures stood out in a crowd, their bodies shaped in various ways and even, in some cases, female (or had, at one point, been). Hiding any distinguishing sexual features was a cloak that each of them wore, black with red clouds painted here and there. All of them had vibrant orange hair.

The sprawling village of Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village, lay out in front of them. Six figures stood motionlessly, the lead figure staring at the landscape in front of him with glowing blue eyes. The other five waited patiently for him to comment, or to move, so that they might follow his example.

"We're going to split up," the first man said suddenly. The other five paths straightened slightly at this, paying close attention. "One group will do diversion and the other will do reconnaissance, so let's make sure we've got this sorted out."

All five pairs of eyes were immediately latched on to him, waiting patiently for him to elaborate. After a moment of pause, he did so, "Demon Realm, Animal Realm, and Hungry Ghost Realm will deal with the diversion. God Realm, Human Realm, and Hell Realm will do recon. Once Namikaze Naruto is encountered, the others are to report to his position immediately. Animal Realm, however, will stay behind and watch from a safe distance."

Getting five identical nods, he stepped forward and his eyes widened, glowing blue. What he could see, he relayed to his team, "There's a spherical barrier protecting the village from all sides, including above. Any intruders will be detected immediately. As planned, we're going to launch Animal Realm above the village. This will make for an easier insertion. From there, we wait for Animal Realm's summons."

Two of the remaining five figures moved, the bulkiest one kneeling down as a man with his long orange hair tied in a ponytail climbed up on his arm. An instant later, that man was sent soaring upwards, his hands flying through seals as the air around him rushed past his ears. As he landed agilely on his hands and knees, the five other Paths appeared in one puff of smoke.

"Scatter," God Realm commanded. In a blur, all of them had disappeared.

God Realm's blue eyes were sharp and narrowed as he ran through the streets, extending his senses as far as they could possibly go. People gasped and screamed as he passed, terrified of him and his power. He felt a slight thrill of satisfaction shoot through him; they had every right to fear for themselves, their lives, and their families. If he had his way, this entire village would cease to exist.

A slight whistling noise and a tiny prick on the edge of his senses warned him before his eyes did, and he leapt upwards and over the kunai that had been thrown at him. Dully, in a corner of his mind, he could sense that the other five Paths had encountered a similar situation themselves.

Back tracking, he kneeled down and looked at the kunai, attached to which was a small paper note. Written on this small piece of white paper was a single word, a single term that nearly forced a tiny smile on his lips. Written, in clear, bold script, on the small piece of paper was the word, "Come".

He reached down, already aware of the kunai's purpose. There was a strange sensation, almost like a tug behind his navel, and he was suddenly somewhere else, standing, bent over, on a field of grass with the kunai in his hand. Letting it drop, he stood up straight and noticed the other five Paths do similarly, each one having had a kunai with a small piece of paper on it.

God Realm turned around as Animal Realm disappeared, locking gazes with the fierce blue eyes of Namikaze Naruto. Calmly, he spoke, "You were expecting us."

"Oh?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "You're much smarter than I gave you credit for. Then again, it doesn't take a _god_" — he emphasized the word sarcastically — "to figure out that I was expecting you. After all, _you_ want the Nine Tailed Fox sealed inside of me, and _I_ want you dead for all of the things you've done."

"A bold claim," God Realm said stoically. "But, then again, you already know the truth don't you?"

"The real one isn't there," Naruto recited calmly. "Sensei told me all about that before he succumbed to his wounds. So tell me, Nagato, why have your last Path stay back when you won't truly die until I kill your real body?"

"You are clever," God Realm praised. "The answer is quite simple, really. If all six of my Paths of Pein should be defeated, you would have no way of finding the real me, which would make a 'final battle' rather difficult to achieve. So Animal Path is left behind and will summon a sort of 'messenger bird' for you to follow on the off chance you defeat the other five."

"I see," Naruto nodded. "I suppose, then, that Tobi is waiting to engage me wherever it is that this bird of yours would lead me to?"

"You _are_ clever," God Realm hid his surprise quickly. "But…cleverness only gets you so far in battle. You need the power to back it up."

Instantly, Asura path, the one that had shattered Naruto's wings of ice and nearly caused a great deal of damage to Jiraiya, leapt forward, fist lashing out at the blonde teen's face. Smoothly, Naruto ducked under the punch and sliced through the overextended arm from knuckle all the way up to his shoulder. Then, in what seemed to be a speed ten times faster, he brought his sword across the other man's waist and split him in half from crown to crotch, all with two simple slashes.

"You've gotten stronger," God Realm remarked, standing motionlessly.

That seemed to be the cue for Human Realm to attack, holding on to the strange black object they had been prone to using before. His arm came around in a diagonal swing, but Naruto met him easily, the pristine steel of Hyôrinmaru effortlessly holding up against the mysterious black material.

Leaping backwards, Naruto unleashed a dragon of icy water, its red eyes gleaming as it soared forwards, screaming through the space separating him and his enemy. Human Realm jumped up and over it, his efforts sending him far enough to reach his opponent. Aided by both his amazingly monstrous strength and by the insistent pull of gravity, he brought his weapon down.

Naruto deflected it to the side, which seemed to set off a chain reaction. The moment the long-haired man had been repelled, a torrent of water was sent spiraling in his direction. Bring his sword around, the edge of the blade glowing blue, he swung downwards as the ball of water came his way.

"Nadegiri!" he cried, the blue arc slicing the attack in half and continuing onwards towards God Realm, who had sent the Daibakufu at him.

God Realm seemed unfazed by the return attack, merely holding up one of his hands as if he were catching a ball. The Nadegiri arc stopped short, then a ripple seemed to move outwards, destroying it in a burst of liquid. His hand fell back to his side as if nothing had ever happened at all.

As if he could see out of the back of his head, Naruto performed a back flip over Human Realm as the long-haired man attempted to stab him, going through hand seals in midair. Stopping, he took a deep breath and blew out a large fireball, aimed at the man who had tried to get him from behind.

His efforts were in vain, however, as the singular female Path leapt in front of it and held out her hands. There was a pause, as if the universe were waiting for something to happen, and then the fireball sputtered weakly before it winked out of existence. The orange haired woman looked up at Naruto stoically, her blue eyes gleaming dully.

As he landed, however, Naruto was unprepared for the harsh shoulder that struck him from the side and sent him flying, tumbling over the ground. In mid-roll, he flung himself back up and stumbled into a standing position. He was breathing hard, panting as he gingerly rubbed his right side. He let out a groan, but knew that he would be okay. It wasn't anything truly serious.

Human Realm was upon him again, lashing out with slash after vicious slash as Naruto struggled to keep up, distracted, as he was, by the pain in his side. Reaching out with his hand, Human Realm pushed Naruto back, who was too surprised by the move to do anything to defend against it.

Leaping up into the air, Naruto slashed down at Human Realm, intent on cleaving the man in two. Almost effortlessly, it seemed, the orange-haired man held his weapon with one hand and blocked it. With a jerk of his arm, he sent the blonde flying backwards into the tree line, not bothering to follow him into it.

There was a pause, during which God Realm's eyes narrowed suspiciously, before a cry of "Bankai!" resounded throughout the area. In reaction to that call, it seemed, the sky darkened with black rain clouds and three water dragons, each sporting a pair of feathery-looking wings, flew out from the foliage, mouths agape and showing off long, sharp fangs. Any tree they so much as brushed was instantly frozen solid.

Human Realm leapt over the first dragon as it crashed into the ground, staring the second dragon in the face as it prepared to consume him, but God Realm raised his hand and his comrade was propelled upwards and out of the way. The third dragon rose up and broke apart as, from its mouth, came the winged form of Naruto, a long tail following behind him.

The instant the two weapons came into contact — the strange black object that Human Realm was holding and Hyôrinmaru — the black metal became cold and engulfed in ice. Surprised, Human Realm could not react fast enough to block the second slash that cut straight through his only defense and cleaved off his right arm at the shoulder, sending the amputated limb spiraling down to the earth below.

Human Realm landed in a sort of crouch, gazing impassively up at the floating Naruto, whose strange powers kept him airborne. There was a tense moment of pause, as if the two enemies were sizing each other up, then Naruto exploded into action, sending three more dragons down at Hell Realm, who had smashed into him with his shoulder.

Hell Realm leapt backwards from the first dragon, then turned around the second he landed and headed towards the trees, where he intended to lead the beasts into the wood. He hadn't moved more than a meter or two, however, before Naruto appeared in front of him and unleashed another trio of the deadly creatures. Stunned, Hell Realm could do nothing to avoid them.

God Realm, however, raised his hand once more and pointed it at Hell Realm. Just as the dragons were about to consume him, he was jerked out of the way and landed on his butt in front of God Realm, who looked down at him impassively. Naruto glared at them, his blue eyes gleaming dangerously.

The blonde stabbed his sword into the ground, and from the soil in front of him sprouted thick, jagged pillars of ice. With a sideways sweeping motion of his free hand, the pillars disintegrated into a fine mist, the watery particles glistening in the limited light. As if he were throwing something, his hand shot out, and with it, the mist darted forward like tiny projectiles.

"Kongou Hokori!" he called out. (Diamond Dust)

God Realm raised his hand, and, with a look of concentration on his face, the mist was banished back at its creator. Naruto's eyes widened, but his body reacted almost on reflex and his left hand reached down into his kunai pouch. It pulled out a tri-pronged kunai, at which point Naruto seemed to have overcome his surprise. Looking up, he flung the kunai into the sky as fast and hard as he could. Just as the diamond hard mist was about to hit him, he disappeared in a flash of yellow.

As one, all of the remaining Paths looked upwards, towards the blonde hovering in midair. With an angry snarl and a single swing, three more dragons were released. Instead of making a straight path for the enemy, though, they curled around, spinning in a circle and surrounding their targets. In the sky, the blonde teen was making hand seals with his left hand.

"Sensatsu Suisho," he started in a whisper as he hit the last seal, "Daikeimusho!"

Instantly, the trio of winding dragons shattered and reformed into thousands of tiny needles. God Realm studied the prison of icy prongs stoically, his head zipping back and forth as the needles quivered threateningly, then jerked forward at some unheard signal. As they converged on him, he flung his hands out and was consumed by the horde.

A second later, however, the gigantic prison of ice shook, and then dispersed back into water, revealing a panting God Realm and an unscathed Hell Realm. Standing straight, but still out of breath, God Realm began hand seals as the moisture in the ground churned and morphed to his will. At the last seal, a giant dragon of water, with gleaming yellow eyes, formed, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu."

Calmly, as the beast of water rushed towards him, Naruto held out a single hand, palm pointed forward. In an even voice, he recited, "Hadô no Ichi: Shô." (Thrust)

As it bore down on him, the Suiryuudan was ripped apart with what seemed to be little to no effort at all. Moving the angle of his arm, he aimed his palm at God Realm and Hell Realm, his blue eyes glaring down at them. With the same calmness as before, he stated the name of his next technique, "Hadô no Rokujuusan: Sôren Sôkatsui." (Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down)

Two balls of blue fire shot forth, growing steadily in size as they came screaming down toward God Realm and Hell Realm. Hungry Ghost Realm appeared in front of the blasts, holding her hands out in front of her as the two spheres came steadily closer. Her face screwed up in concentration, she let the energy balls touch her palms. Her expression quickly morphed into surprise as the attack met no resistance and still came toward her. She was engulfed in a fiery explosion, and, when it subsided, not even a shred remained.

Looking up at Naruto, God Realm's eyes flashed with a blazing rage. Holding up a single hand, his mouth set in a frown, he pulled. Surprised, Naruto was jerked out of the sky and towards the ground. Hell Realm's fist awaited him, sending him flying in the opposite direction and into a vicious kick from Human Realm. His wings shattered and the icy gauntlet on his right arm cracked.

Helpless, Naruto could only gasp and grasp weakly at his enemy's arm as he was easily picked up by his neck with Human Realm's remaining hand. Glaring at him, Human Realm's lips twisted into a characteristic smirk as he suddenly spun around on his heel and threw Naruto into one of the trees that had provided such good cover earlier.

Crying out as the bark bit into his back, Naruto panted as God Realm turned to him, a superior look on his face. Glaring back at them, Naruto slowly stood as the ice on his arm shattered and fell to the ground. With a bit of difficulty, he stood straight and began his hand seals, "It seems that this was necessary after all."

At the last seal, his body shuddered and shifted as he spoke the name of this new skill, "Ryûjin: Reigen Indo." (Dragon God: Heartless Requiem)

With vicious snaps and cracks, bones moved and became denser; muscles became stronger, leaner, more agile, and raw strength was multiplied. Blonde hair became silver, lengthening down the teen's back and reaching nearly to his thighs. Yellowish gold bangs shifted to a delicate pale, shimmering gray and parted down the center to frame a more angular face, reaching down to his chin. Cat-like cyan eyes snapped open, slit pupils staring intensely at the world.

"Behold," he spoke, in a smoother, deeper voice, one that spoke of power, "the true might of the Dragon God. One hundred percent."

As he said this, he swiped his sword to the side and it seemed to grow, lengthening to nearly half again what it had been. Looking up at them through a curtain of silver hair, a small smirk curled on his lips, "Ready?"

He seemed to dissolve into tiny particles of water, a black mist, then reappeared in front of Human Realm, sword already in motion. The long blade cut through the orange-haired man like butter, from one hip to the other. Time seemed to slow as the pieces of the man moved in separate directions, a look of surprise on his face. Then it was over, and Naruto sliced diagonally through the upper half of his enemy's remains, from right shoulder to what remained of the left side of his stomach.

"Three down," Naruto said tauntingly.

In a blur, he had vanished again and Hell Realm held up his own black rod, blocking against the steel of Hyôrinmaru. Leering slightly, Naruto leaned forward, "You think this can stop me?"

As if on cue, the black rod was cut in half at the middle, its wielder following it soon afterwards. Hell Realm was split diagonally, much the same way his predecessor, Human Realm, had been. His two halves fell to the ground in opposite directions, leaving God Realm and Animal Realm as the last two of the Six Paths.

"And thus ends," Naruto spoke, "the great Pein."

He flung several kunai, watching as God Realm held out a hand and banished them in the opposite direction. Appearing in front of the final fighter, Naruto lopped off his right hand, then spun around and, using his momentum, sliced right through God Realm. With a look of surprise on his face, God Realm fell to the ground, cut in half.

"I see," Animal Path said as Naruto turned to look at it. Flashing through hand seals, he summoned a small sparrow, which fluttered and then took off. "Follow this bird and he shall lead you to the real body."

With a small smirk, Naruto sent a Nadegiri arc at Animal Path. The last remaining Path seemed to accept his fate and was beheaded swiftly. As the final Path fell to the ground, Naruto turned his gaze to the small sparrow with a long red ribbon attached to its leg and took off after it.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The place the sparrow led him to seemed fitting for the leader of Akatsuki: it was dark and bleak, a cave that was familiar but still foreign. The forest ended abruptly several meters away, and the sparrow fluttered towards the dark entrance. A kunai struck it before it could, however, and Naruto looked down at the man who had thrown it, his silvery hair swaying in the wind.

"So we meet at last," Tobi said calmly, staring at him from behind his orange mask. "Namikaze Naruto. The Dragon God. The God Slayer."

"God Slayer?" Naruto asked amusedly. "That's a new one."

"It's only fitting," Tobi shot back. "After all, once the people of the former Hidden Rain Village, Amegakure, find out that _you_ killed Pein, that's what they'll start to call you."

Naruto laughed, "I suppose so."

He seemed to move at light speed, appearing behind Tobi and slicing straight through the black-clad man's body, "But I'll settle for killing you."

"Ahhh!" Tobi cried, as if in pain. It quickly turned into a laugh as Naruto's face twisted in confusion. "I'm afraid it'll take a lot more than just that to defeat me, Namikaze Naruto."

Frowning, Naruto lashed out with another slash, this one horizontal, which went right through Tobi's body, but it was as if there wasn't anything there. Tobi laughed, walking steadily backwards as Naruto's attacks brought him slowly forward. Each time the blade passed through the masked man's body, it was like swinging at air.

Hopping backwards, Naruto flung his hand out, index finger pointing at his enemy, and said, "Hadô no Kyuujuu: Kurohitsugi." (Black Coffin)

A black box formed in midair and fell on top of Tobi, encasing him in a strange, inky energy. At once, spear-like prongs of energy formed at various points on the outside of the box, then, a second later, stabbed forward into the black. There was no scream or cry of pain, not even the slightest trace of blood.

"My," Tobi commented from behind him, leaning against a tree, "that looks painful."

"It would have been," Naruto said neutrally. He turned to face the masked man. "So, Itachi was right about you…Madara."

"Ooh," Tobi clapped his hands sarcastically, "so, you know. You're _much_ smarter than I expected you to be."

"And you're much stronger than I expected _you_ to be," Naruto retorted. He smirked suddenly, and turned around, saying, "Catch me if you can," before he vanished into the trees. A second later, Madara leapt forward and followed him into the thick undergrowth, red Sharingan eye glaring.

The chase lasted an unexpected length of time, something that frustrated Madara. No matter how easily he could see the path that Naruto was going to take, the silver-haired menace was always one step ahead of him. If the Uchiha progenitor didn't know any better, he might suspect that his foe had a Sharingan as well, or some ability of a similar nature.

Finally, they reached a clearing. Naruto landed in the middle of it and spun around as he leapt backwards towards the other side. He unleashed two kunai as Madara landed in the same spot he had just vacated, but the two metal blades passed right through the man, who stopped and looked up as his prey found a perch on one of the trees.

"Did you really think you could catch me off guard?" Madara laughed as Naruto stared at him. The silver haired shinobi merely raised his hand into a single hand seal. "If it didn't work before, what made you think it would work this time? Perhaps you're not as smart as I — Ugh!"

"Perhaps you're a bit dumber than _I_ thought," Naruto smirked, his hand slowly returning to its place at his side. "I'd tell you to look at the seals attached to those kunai, but the only thing you can do now is breathe."

Madara struggled to move, but his body wouldn't obey him. He stood stock still, his arms refusing his commands and his legs frozen in position. He breathed and his heart was beating, but anything beyond the essentials was lost to him, and he was angry because he couldn't understand why.

"Those kunai," Naruto started smugly, "are very special. They're something Jiraiya cooked up when Itachi told us about you. Since we didn't know the true extent behind your power, he figured that he couldn't take any chances. Anyone of Uchiha blood standing within two meters of those kunai — when they're activated, of course — will lose all higher motor function and be frozen in their last pose. You can't even use chakra."

Still smirking, Naruto slowly lifted a hand into the sky, "I've never tried this before outside of Shikai, so I don't know if it'll work, but we'll see."

The dark clouds suddenly parted, revealing a large hole. From it, white light shone down, fluttering at the edges. Then, bits of it started to fall, and Madara realized that it wasn't light at all, but brilliantly pure snow. It all seemed to fall in slow motion, making a beeline for him with unmistakably lethal intentions.

"Behold," Naruto said, "Hyouten Hyakkasou." (Frozen Heavens Hundred Flower Funeral)

A single snowflake landed on Madara's hand and bloomed into an icy flower, followed quickly by another and another. Madara wanted to scream, but he could not move his mouth and could not force it past his vocal cords. He barely noticed when Naruto started to speak again.

"With this technique, snow falls to the ground," Naruto explained. "When the snow touches someone, however, it blooms into flowers, and for every snowflake that lands on that person, another flower will bloom. You cannot avoid it any more than you can dodge raindrops. And, when the last flower, the one-hundredth, blooms, that person's life ends."

Madara attempted to scream, but, at that moment, the final flower bloomed and, with a flash of light, Madara died. All that remained was his frozen body and a mountain of icy flowers. And so ended one of the most powerful shinobi since the Rikudo Sennin.

In what seemed to be a shroud of wispy black feathers, Naruto's long silver hair and other changed features faded away, leaving behind the spiky blond hair and the bright, sky-blue eyes. Hyôrinmaru shortened back into a katana, but, engraved into one side of the blade, was the word, "Salvation", and, on the other side, "Destruction".

Naruto did not spare the mountain another look and focused instead on the giant cave a few meters off, standing with a large, gaping mouth for an opening. As he walked past the rocky threshold, a pair of bright blue eyes opened up inside the darkness. As if spurned on by his presence, several flames flared to life, igniting around him in small canisters. Torches; each one crudely done and stabbed into the wall, sometimes lopsidedly, other times, miraculously, straight.

Placed in the exact center of the floor was a monstrous structure, sprouting up from the ground and towards the fathomless ceiling. It had nine eyes, only seven of which were open, and two arms that reached up from the dirt. Its mouth was open wide and gaping, showing off several fang-like teeth made from what looked like hard clay.

As light flooded the cave, the owner of the eyes was identified. He was hunched over inside a monstrous machine, emaciated until he was but skin and bones, shirtless. From his back protruded an innumerable amount of black rods. His blue eyes were familiar, with several thin black rings surrounding the pupil in a sea of azure. His red hair reached his shoulders, the bangs parted above his left eye and obscuring most of his right. He looked, Naruto thought, much as Jiraiya had described him, though weaker.

"You, you're Nagato?" Naruto asked in a whisper. His hand clenched into fists. "You're the one…who's caused so much pain? Who-who killed Jiraiya-sensei?"

"I am," Nagato rasped. "And this is the price I paid for my dream. Do you pity me?"

"Yes," Naruto answered honestly. "But I…I hate you, too. All the people who have died for your dream, your impossible dream…they didn't have to. They died because of you!"

"Peace is not impossible," Nagato said hoarsely. "And is it not a worthy dream? A peaceful world, where people like us do not have to exist, where war is a figment of the imagination…is that not a worthy dream?"

"But your methods weren't!" Naruto shouted. "A forced peace is no peace at all! A peace brought by fear isn't right, it wouldn't last! Peace…True peace can only be brought by understanding each other, by talking and by compromise. Any other kind of peace isn't worth it."

"I did what I must," Nagato said solemnly, "just as you will do as you must and end my life." There was a pause, then the man smiled an odd sort of smile, reminiscent and fond. "You are indeed Jiraiya-sensei's student. I could never bring myself to believe in what he said, not after Yahiko died. But now…I'll believe in you. I'll have faith that you can accomplish my dream."

Naruto stepped forward and lifted his sword, "Then, this is the end. This is…where you die."

Nagato gave a raspy chuckle, "I died long ago, first with Yahiko, then with Konan and Jiraiya-sensei. Do not pity the dead, Namikaze Naruto. Pity the living, pity those who live without love." Nagato lifted his head and looked Naruto in the eye. "Above all, pity those who have no dreams."

Naruto steeled himself, then lunged forward and stabbed Nagato through the heart, who gave a final sigh and sagged with what appeared to be relief into death. Naruto pulled away and flicked the blood from his blade, then relaxed.

"It's over," he sighed, tilting his head back as he closed his eyes in relief. "It's finally over."

The sound of a man clapping drove his attention back down to earth, his eyes seeking out the origin of the disturbance. They locked onto an average looking man with short, wavy brown hair wearing a pair of square-framed glasses. He had a disarming smile on his face, but Naruto had seen enough dishonesty to know that the smile was as fake as plastic. The strange thing, though, one that sent a feeling of dread through the blonde, was that the smile was also quite real. He was sincerely satisfied by something, but what?

"Well done," the man said in a calm, friendly voice. "Indeed, you did a very good job, Namikaze Naruto-san. That was a most impressive display of skill. I can see now why they call you the Dragon God of Konoha."

"Who are you?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

The man, who was wearing an expensive, ornate kimono, hakama, and haori set, merely smiled. In that same voice, that same nonchalant, friendly tone, as if they had been on good terms for _ages_, he said, "Oh, I doubt you've heard of me. Our countries don't get along very well, you see, so I'm afraid we've never met before. Still, I imagine we would have been very good friends."

"_Who_ are _you_?" Naruto asked a little more forcefully, his blue eyes glaring.

"Oh, I apologize," the man said politely, still in that same tone of voice. He didn't seem at all threatened by the one who had just beaten one of the strongest shinobi since Hanzou the Salamander and killed the man Amegakure called 'God'. "I didn't introduce myself, did I? How very rude of me. My name is Aizen Sousuke, though most people seem to like to call me 'Aizen-sama'. It gets on the nerves after a while."

Aizen…Aizen…where had he heard that name before? This guy, though…he wasn't a ninja, Naruto could tell. He didn't have the feel of a ninja about him, and his hands, from what Naruto could see, were too soft to belong to a ninja. And yet…this…Aizen wasn't afraid of him, wasn't afraid that his life could be ended in an instant. It was chilling.

"I really must thank you," Aizen went on, still smiling that damnable smile. "If it hadn't been for you taking care of these guys, I might have had to take care of them myself, and that would have been problematic. You see, because of you, because you killed Orochimaru for me and took out the army outpost Hidden Sound was using to build up its forces…"

The smile turned almost sinister, "…there's no one in my way."

That's when it came to him. He suddenly remembered where he heard the name 'Aizen Sousuke'.

"_Was this all the work of Aizen Sousuke?"_

_A smile actually curled on Shigi's lips as he dragged himself into a kneeling position, "So sharp, as always, Jiraiya-sama. Yet…so naïve…"_

"You…" Naruto whispered, shocked. "You're…!"

He didn't get to finish, as a fireball crashed into him and flung him several meters, where he came to a stop on the floor. In the flickering light of the torches, he could see a familiar clothing style: a fishnet mesh undershirt, and a long, open coat that went down to his knees. Typical shinobi pants and sandals, black.

But the face and hair were different, and he was wearing black gloves. The eyes were an eerily familiar cyan color with slits for pupils, and the skin had gone to a porcelain pale. The bangs were parted at the center, chin-length and framing his face. The rest of his hair surged down his back and nearly to his thighs. It was silver.

"Shigi?" Naruto asked, shocked.

"Oh, yes," Aizen said suddenly, looking as if he'd just remembered something. "I suppose you _have_ met my subordinate before, haven't you? I imagine he looks quite a bit different than you remember. That's another thing I have you to thank for, you know, and it wouldn't have been possible if you hadn't killed Orochimaru and left that strand of beautiful silver hair behind when you took out Deidara."

"What?" Naruto's head whipped around.

"Oh, yes," Aizen smiled. "With Orochimaru gone, it was child's play to take his genetic splicing technology. And the hair sample you left behind provided me with enough genetic material to properly perform the procedure to endow Shigi with your god-like powers."

Turning around, Aizen said airily, "Do with him what you like, Shigi. I have to figure out how to use this wonderful statue."

That seemed to be all the incentive Shigi needed, as he surged forward, slashing at the blonde with his ninjato. Naruto just barely blocked it, stumbling to his feet. Relentlessly, Shigi attacked, and each time, Naruto just barely evaded death and serious injury. Oddly enough, beyond that initial fireball, Shigi hadn't used anything but his sword.

"This is your power, Ryûjin," Shigi said calmly. "I will defeat you with it and claim it as my own."

"You're," grunt, "insane!" Naruto called, arms shaking with the effort of defending against his enemy's blows. It seemed hopeless. Naruto had used all of his power to defeat Nagato and Madara. There was nothing he could do that could hope to match Shigi at the level he was at, and he was quickly beginning to tire.

'_Think!'_ he told himself. _'Think!'_

Shigi took advantage of his moment of strategizing, pulling his sword back and landing a solid palm-strike against Naruto's chest. It looked to be a simple push, but to Naruto, it felt like he had just been hit with a giant tree. He was flung backwards several meters, tumbling a few moment before he slid to a halt on his stomach.

As the blonde raised his head, Shigi walked towards him ominously, sword held tightly in his fist. Naruto cringed.

'_Hyôrinmaru!'_ he called to the dragon desperately.

"_Can't…"_ came the weak reply. _"Not enough…energy…"_

"**I could lend you mine,"** a deep voice interrupted. Naruto's heart stopped for a moment, and the world seemed to follow. **"But…why should I let you borrow my power?"**

'_If I die, so do you,'_ Naruto told the Nine Tails. _'If I live, then you live longer as well.'_

"**Death would be an awfully big adventure,"** came the reply, casual. **"Why should I lend you my strength? I get nothing, in the end."**

'_Because I need it!'_ Naruto told it angrily. _'I don't care if you're the strongest of all the tailed beasts! If you don't lend it to me, I'll _take it_!'_

The response was a deep, satisfied chuckle, **"I like you, kid. You've got guts, and I respect that. I'll lend you my power, for now. Take as much as you need."**

An overwhelming sense of anger began to fill Naruto as the Kyubi's chakra began to leak from the seal, and he shook his head, desperately going through hand seals. He couldn't allow the chakra to control him, he had to control it. The only way he knew how to do it…he just hoped that it worked with the demon's chakra as a focus, this time.

There was an angry howl in the back of his mind as he wrenched the Kyubi's taint and influence from the charka surging through his body. Instantly, his wounds healed and his fatigue disappeared. Like before, he could feel the changes come over him, but they were less violent. His muscles became stronger and denser and his fingernails sharpened into pointed claws.

Around him, a brilliant orange aura came to life, clinging to his skin. Wisps of it lifted into the air like fire, and the aura was so dense and compact that it was difficult to tell where his skin ended and his clothes began. There were several dark markings down his front, complete with the spiral that was the Kyubi's seal and a ring of Yang symbols that surrounded his neck.

Slowly, as Shigi stopped at the powerful presence Naruto now radiated, the blonde stood. His voice had an echoing, wavering quality to it, as though he were talking underwater, thousands of leagues of heavy liquid pressing down on him, "Kamui: Reigen no Tenshi." (Might of the Gods: Heartless Angel)

Quickly, before Shigi could react, Naruto flung his hand out, "Bakudô no Rokujuuichi: Rikujôkôrô!" (Six Rods Prison of Light)

Six thin but wide rods of yellow light stabbed Shigi's abdomen, holding him in place. Grunting with frustration, he stared down at the beams and started pounding them with his sword, trying desperately to break them. Naruto seemed to find this amusing, "I'm afraid that won't work. At this level, my raw power will prevent you from overwhelming that binding spell."

He held up a finger, a ball of white energy glowing in front of the tip. With a small smirk, he said, "Good bye."

With a blast of white lightning, Shigi was no more. Turning around, Naruto found Aizen looking at him with something akin to surprise. Faintly, the brown haired man whispered, "Oh."

As Naruto held up his finger again, a black box fell on top of Aizen, enveloping him. With fierce, stern orange eyes, Naruto sighed and said a three simple words as the spears formed, "Sayonara, Aizen Sousuke."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

In the year following the defeat of Akatsuki, and, ultimately, the death of Pein, the balance of power between the Five Great Nations shifted almost irreversibly. The former Amegakure, now without a leader, collapsed into anarchy. It was only inevitable that it would erupt once more into civil war as multiple factions fought to take the place that Pein had left vacant.

The disappearance of Aizen Sousuke, a prominent feudal lord in the Land of Earth, also had an effect. Down their best strategist, their de facto leader, and one of their best shinobi, the Village of Hidden Stone was weakened to the point where many didn't consider it one of the Five Great Hidden Villages anymore. It would, unfortunately for its people and the Tsuchikage, never regain its former glory.

In the end, the territory belonging to Hidden Sound and the former Rice Country became a part of Fire Country, further adding to Konoha's superiority as compared to the other villages. A few months later, the Hidden Wave Village would enter into a strong, permanent alliance with the Hidden Leaf Village, further augmenting the Land of Fire. Iwagakure, in an attempt to keep itself from annihilation, declared Konoha superior to itself and entered into its own alliance, a submissive one, with the greatest of the Five Powers.

Kumogakure, aware that it had little chance of winning should any more countries join the Land of Fire, made a nonaggression pact with the remaining hostile nations, including Kirigakure. Together, they launched a massive assault on the Hidden Leaf Village in an attempt to restore the balance of power to the way it had been (or even in their own favor).

They failed.

Waiting for them, it seemed, at the gates of the Village was a single shinobi, a blonde with spiky hair and wearing a slightly familiar white coat, a sword slung over his shoulder. In a calm, quiet, polite voice, he asked them to retreat and promised that no one had to die. The mass of ninja, hundreds upon thousands of them, laughed at him. Frowning, he had held up a single hand and snapped his fingers.

A kunoichi with her silky brown hair pulled into to buns, one on either side of her head, leapt above them and pulled out a scroll. When she flung it open, thousands of kunai were released into their number, but none of them hit anyone. That had only made them laugh harder, but those kunai had been their undoing.

With a frighteningly familiar yellow flash, the blonde disappeared and, one by one, their numbers had fallen. Only the Raikage and his brother, the container of the Eight Tails, remained. It was an epic clash, one worthy of the history books, between the blonde and the two brothers, but, even with the power of the Eight Tails, they were no match for the one technique that ended it all. Kamui: Reigen no Tenshi.

With no ninja left, no military with which to fight, and no leader to hold them together, Kumogakure collapsed into nothing and became several different countries, each warring with each other. Inside the Empire of China, they were quickly quelled and became a part of the ancient power claiming the 'Mandate of Heaven'. Kirigakure, now lacking a great deal of its shinobi, entered into an alliance with Konoha to preserve its independence.

Thus, in the few remaining countries that considered Konoha an enemy, the name Namikaze Naruto soon took on new titles. He was called 'Konoha no Ryûjin', 'God of War', 'The Flash Reborn', 'God Slayer', and even 'The Azure Moon'. He was the second shinobi in history to be given the double S ranking in the bingo books.

And so, with the greatest shinobi since the Rikudo Sennin on their side, Konoha became the strongest force in the world of ninja. Now, three and a half years later, it remains so.

"I'm proud to announce," a voice said over the roaring approval of the crowd. Hinata looked up, watching as a twenty year old blonde man, her husband, walked out onto the balcony. Tsunade continued, "the Sixth Hokage, Namikaze Naruto!"

The roar from the crowd rose in volume, increasing to deafening. Hinata smiled and clapped politely along with the enthusiasm. An elbow in her side drew her attention over to Tenten, who was smiling and clapping as well. The brunette leaned over to her, "Seems like we made a good choice, didn't we, Hinata? Marrying him, I mean."

Giggling, Hinata turned her attention back up to Naruto. Together, she and Tenten whispered, "Congratulations, Naruto-kun."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Hokage-sama!" a voice called, its owner bursting through the double doors of the Hokage's office. Naruto frowned, looking up from his paperwork at the ANBU who stood in front of him, panicking.

"Hokage-sama!" the ANBU went on. "Danzo is on the move!"

Naruto stood in one fluid motion, quickly shedding his Hokage robes and hat and grabbing his signature coat on the way out the door. The ANBU followed closely behind him as he strode quickly from his office, intent on settling the problem before him. "Tell me what's going on. Has he assaulted the village?"

"Yes," the ANBU said swiftly, breathing in short pants. "ROOT has begun an attack on the village's major clans. Our ninja are in disarray and communications are shot. My squad leader ordered me to inform you of the situation. Danzo is moving towards this very tower as we speak."

"I see," Naruto mumbled. Louder, he said, "Grab as many as the council members as you can, inform them of the situation. After that, begin evacuation into the forest and the training areas."

"Not the mountain tunnels?" the ANBU asked hesitantly.

"No, Danzo knows standard protocol," Naruto explained. "He could easily gain an advantage if we follow normal SOP. What we need to do is what he'll least expect, so we'll evacuate into the surrounding forest and the training areas, places where it isn't exactly safe but isn't seriously dangerous."

"Understood," the ANBU said, moving to follow his orders. A hand stopped him. "Hokage-sama?"

Naruto moved swiftly, chopping the back of the man's neck. He fell to the floor, unconscious. Naruto mumbled, "Sloppy, Danzo. The councilmen's quarters are in the _east_ districts, not the west."

He looked up, "Kakashi! Did you get all of that?"

Kakashi walked out from behind the office's open doors, "Yeah, I got all of it. Should I pick up Gai?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, just send one of your dogs. We need to take care of this before it escalates too far. As it is, we're going to have to let the clans fend for themselves. Until we reestablish order, we'd only be spreading our forces too thin."

"Right," Kakashi nodded, closing his book with a snap. He moved to carry out his orders, only to pause. "Naruto…Be wary of Danzo. He wasn't the Sandaime's teammate for nothing, you know. You shouldn't underestimate him."

Naruto grimaced, then began down the steps, "I know."

Several flights of steps later, Naruto opened the doors to the tower and stepped out into the sunlight. A ninja flew towards him, but he cut the man down with a simple, effortless slash of his sword. The sounds of an epic battle raged on in the background, and several fires burned bright in the midday sun.

Several more ninja assaulted him, but he defeated them all easily, as though he were fighting mere children and not highly trained warriors. Still, they came, attacking in swarms and unable to realize that they could not defeat him. Frowning in frustration, he released his ironclad hold on his reiatsu and sent them all to their knees, gasping and retching.

Naruto held out a hand and, an instant later, spikes of ice shot up from the ground and skewered each of the Root ninja. Letting his arm drop back to his side, Naruto frowned and lifted narrowed eyes to glare at the calm form of the man known as Danzo, who had instigated the battle that raged around them.

"End of the line," he said, blue eyes dead and calm.

"For you, yes," Danzo answered, slowly undoing the bandages around his shoulder. Beneath them was a perfect right arm, marred only by the myriad of blazing sharingan eyes, each of which spun lazily. Naruto felt his blood run cold.

"You," he whispered harshly. "You monster!"

Danzo scoffed, "You and those before you, you're all too soft! You can't do what needs to be done in order to lead this land properly!"

"Get off your high horse!" Naruto yelled back. "War won't solve anything! All it'll do is destroy the world and the peace we've fought so hard to protect!"

"And Konoha suffers for it!" Danzo roared. "We could be so much greater! We could conquer all of the elemental countries, sweep in and crush the opposition effortlessly! But you! You're satisfied with oaths of fealty! This peace of yours won't last!"

"As long as there are people willing to protect it," Naruto roared, "this peace will never die!"

He vanished and when he reappeared, he had speared Danzo through the stomach. There was a moment of pause, then Danzo melted away and a gash appeared on Naruto's arm. There was the flutter of clothing and Naruto pushed the pain of the cut on his arm away as he dodged the attack from behind.

"That's not possible," Naruto said, glaring at Danzo. "I killed you. I felt my sword connect with solid flesh and blood, and clones do not just melt away like that."

"How can you be Hokage and yet know so little?" Danzo crowed. He leapt forward, holding a kunai in one hand. Naruto vanished and reappeared behind him. As he swung down, Danzo spun and stabbed at Naruto's gut. Both blows connected, but Danzo melted away again, leaving Naruto with a very real and bleeding wound.

Naruto looked up, one arm wrapped around his injury, as Danzo appeared again, sending blades of compressed air at him. Naruto lifted a single hand and held it out in front of him, as though to block the blades. He spoke a single word, "Danku!" and a translucent wall erupted in front of him, blocking the attack.

Naruto's hand glowed green for a second, then he stood, his wound closed, and stared down his foe. He swung his sword with a cry of "Guncho Tsurara!" and sent a pack of sharpened icicles at Danzo, who leapt over them. Naruto vanished, then reappeared behind Danzo and swung down again, calling, "Nadegiri!"

The attack landed, and, once again, Danzo melted away into nothingness. He appeared behind Naruto, who ducked under another swing and used a quick burst of Shunpô to put distance between them. Both landed deftly on their feet and Naruto noticed, for the first time, that three of the eyes on Danzo's arm had closed.

Sheathing Hyôrinmaru, Naruto slapped his hands together as though praying and slammed them to the ground. A large sealing array bloomed beneath his palms and, in an instant, the two combatants were standing on the water at the Valley of the End. Danzo looked around dazedly, surprise lit across his features.

Naruto slapped his hands together again, "Brethren-in-arms withdrawing for the distance of eight sun and standing still; blue bolt, white bolt, black bolt, red bolt; sinking into the ocean, together seeking redemption."

He made several gestures with his hands and a wall of interlocking pillars appeared between them, reaching to the height of the statues nearby, "Ryuubi no Joumon." (Gate of the Dragon Tail)

He made more gestures and another structure, like a black and white watermill, appeared to Danzo's right, "Koko no Joumon." (Gate of the Tiger Fang)

Yet even more gestures and a third structure fizzled into existence, a pattern of interlocked hexagons, to Danzo's left, "Kikai no Joumon." (Gate of the Turtle Shell)

Above Danzo, a large structure not unlike a red lampshade slowly knitted itself together to the command of, "Hoyoku no Joumon." (Gate of the Phoenix Wings)

As this last structure fell into place, a translucent, box-shaped black barrier came into existence, its boundaries defined by the four structures, "Shiji no Saimon." (Gate of the Four Beasts)

Danzo hurled several attacks at the barrier, but, no matter what he did, the barrier seemed unscathed. "Namikaze!" he howled. "What sorcery is this?"

Naruto did not answer and, with a flicker of Shunpô, reappeared at the Koko no Joumon. He held up a hand, fingers stretched outwards, and braced it with his other arm, grasping his right arm just below the wrist. A ball of blue energy gathered there as a dense orange aura lit up around him, the orb growing steadily in size.

Finally, when it had reached the size of a large basketball, the aura around Naruto vanished and the Koko no Joumon pulled inwards, revealing an opening in the barrier. Naruto released the orb and it shot forwards at incredible speed, "Ryuujin no Shoukyoku no Kaen!" (Dragon God's Incinerating Flames)

The moment the orb passed the opening, it closed, snapping shut. A second later, there was an explosion and the barrier cracked from the pressure as brilliant blue flames filled it to the brim. There was a dull roar as the water that had been captured inside evaporated en masse and shrouded everything within in steam, but Naruto was sure that nothing could have survived such a powerful technique. He made a gesture with his hands and the barrier faded into nothingness.

He had only a split second to rest before something sharp and metallic dug into his stomach for the second time that day. Danzo stood in front of him, left hand grasping the kunai impaling Naruto, and his right arm missing in a way that suggested it had been purposefully amputated rather than burned off.

"You've been a thorn in my side," Danzo breathed, "for far too long, Namikaze!"

Naruto reached out and grabbed Danzo's burned arm, grunting, "This is gonna be rather unconventional, but it should work." Reiatsu flared around him, glowing orange. "Ittou Kasou!" (Single Blade Cremation)

A large pillar of flame erupted, the lake sizzling as the water evaporated rapidly, and stretched towards the sky, shaped rather like the tip of a katana. Moments later, it was over, and Naruto and Danzo stood at the center of the blaze, Naruto panting and Danzo covered with angry, blistering burns.

Danzo stumbled backwards and collapsed onto the shore, screaming as the dirt and rocks dug into his burned back. Naruto observed this with amazement; it was incredible that Danzo was still alive, let alone conscious, but he chocked it up to the fact that he had not used the Kidô as it had been intended.

Directing a bit of the Kyubi's chakra into the new wound on his stomach, Naruto strode tiredly over to Danzo, freeing Hyôrinmaru on the way. He leaned over Danzo's body and poised his sword to strike, "This is the end, Danzo."

Danzo reached up and pulled away the remains of his shirt, revealing a complex sealing array, "If I…am to die…I'm taking you with me!"

Naruto swore and energy flared to life around him, then everything stopped for a second, just before Naruto vanished. Danzo's body was vaporized, but Naruto was already gone, and when he reappeared at the base of the Hokage tower, everything stopped in mid motion for a second, as though time had frozen. Time lurched back into motion when he stumbled and fell to his knees, clearly out of breath.

"What a way," Naruto panted, "to test that technique!"

"Hokage-sama!" a ninja landed in front of Naruto, kneeling submissively. "The situation is under control, Hokage-sama!"

"Danzo is dead," Naruto told the ninja. "What about Root?"

The ninja jerked at the news, but paused only a moment before answering, "Root is currently being apprehended, Hokage-sama. Casualties are at a minimal and Root members are being repelled and captured. Hokage-sama…The Council requests your presence."

Naruto took in a deep breath, then let it out as a sigh. He stood and, a moment later, so did the ninja in front of him, "All right. Let's get going. The clean up for this whole mess is going to be a nightmare."

Naruto looked up at the bright, sunlit sky, and could not help but smile.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

It was during the first few minutes of daylight, as the sunlight struggled to rise over the horizon, when Yamamoto-Genryuusai Shigekuni entered the renowned office of the Sixth Hokage. The sky was painted with oranges, yellows, and pinks, and the office was alight with a gentle glow that gave its owner a warm, radiant outline.

Naruto did not acknowledge his presence, so Yamamoto strode over to stand beside him, staring out at the beauty of the sunrise as it crested over the forest. There was silence between them and Yamamoto did not break it, for he knew that the man next to him was gathering his thoughts and trying to word what he wanted to say.

"Aizen Sousuke?" Naruto asked at last, cool and quiet.

"Has been found," Yamamoto told him. "He appears to have no recollection of the life he lived before his demise."

Naruto nodded.

"Still," he said, "I'd rather not risk it. Aizen Sousuke is a very shrewd man. If there is even the slightest chance that he retained either his memory or his incredible intellect, I don't want to risk the damage that he could cause."

There was a pause.

"I take it then," Yamamoto said, "that you have a plan?"

"I do," Naruto nodded. Yamamoto took a glance at his companion and marveled at just how young the man beside him looked; he could have passed for thirty-five, or even younger. It was a wonder others had not mentioned or taken note of this incredibly youthful appearance.

"It's simple in its complexity," Naruto said, "and it assumes several things. The whole plan hinges on predicting Aizen's reactions and his thoughts. Should one thing go wrong, the plan itself might fall apart entirely."

"If you are correct," Yamamoto said calmly, "and Aizen has indeed retained the intellect, memories, and ambition of his former self, then this plan, whatever it may be, can be no worse than no plan at all."

"It's going to involve a lot of deception," Naruto warned, "including the Central Forty-Six and even your own students."

"I am prepared for that," Yamamoto assured him.

Naruto frowned.

"The first step of the plan," Naruto said after a moment, "is to remove myself from the eyes of the majority of the Seireitei, including its captains. Only your two apprentices — Ukitake and Kyoraku, I believe they're called — may know of my existence once we've done so."

"And how do we accomplish this?" Yamamoto asked.

"Simple," Naruto smirked. "We give them Hyôrinmaru."

Seeing Yamamoto's astonished look, Naruto continued, "I will use my current half of the Kyubi's energies to make a nearly-independent soul — we'll call him Toshiro; we'll think of a surname later — and he will have enough power to become a captain, which will keep Aizen's attention's away from me. He'll assume Toshiro is me because of Hyôrinmaru."

"I see," Yamamoto murmured. "And what shall you do in the meantime?"

"I shall search out the creature my people have called the 'Shinigami', even if I have to scour the entirety of Hueco Mundo," Naruto said, "and tear from its belly the other half of the Kyubi's power. When the time comes that Aizen starts making his moves, Toshiro and I will become one and my power shall rival even yours."

Yamamoto frowned but nodded, "Very well. What are we going to do about Shunsui and Juushiro?"

Naruto thought for a moment, then smiled devilishly.

"Let's make them think it's a deal," Naruto said. "Let's make them think that the Kyubi has tainted my soul, and that the Central Forty-Six won't let me into the Seireitei until that taint is gone. But let's really sell it, too, and leave a riddle detailing my supposed hiding place in the Archives. I will actually hide there, eventually, so it all pans out."

"But what if Aizen simply kills Toshiro?" Yamamoto asked.

"He won't," Naruto said confidently. "If any of this is actually necessary, then Aizen will be delighted at the chance to pull one over on Toshiro, who he would naturally believe to be me."

"You've given this a lot of thought," Yamamoto said neutrally.

Naruto's expression instantly soured.

"Hinata-chan is dieing," he said sullenly, fists clenched, "and Tenten-chan has been gone for nearly fifteen years. The last time we spoke, you told me she had died in Rukongai, the Seventy-ninth District, barely three years after I lost her in this world. So I want a guarantee from you."

"Anything," Yamamoto said earnestly.

"When Hinata-chan dies," Naruto's voice hitched a moment, "make sure she gets to the First District, all right? And make sure that she can regain her memories — make Bankai her trigger."

"After everything you've done for the Soul Society," Yamamoto said, "all the technologies you've donated — "

"I told you, all that stuff would have just rotted anyway," Naruto interrupted. "Konoha's finest made that stuff after the peace, but it wasn't getting used, so there wasn't any point to hanging on to it."

"Even so," Yamamoto said insistently. "This request you ask of me is one I will honor, not only because of all the good you've done, but also because you're my friend, Naruto."

Naruto laughed happily, "Thank you, Shigekuni. You've no idea what this means to me."

There was a comfortable pause.

"So," Yamamoto began, "this plan of yours…"

"I'll contact you when it's time to put it into action," Naruto said. "Until then, Shigekuni. Even if the morrow is barren of promises…"

"Nothing shall forestall my return," Yamamoto finished with a smile.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach **

**This is one of my favorite chapters, simply because of the confrontation involved in it. I hope all of you enjoyed this as much as I did, because this was awesome. Unfortunately, I realized that I wouldn't have anywhere near enough content to do another chapter solely on Aizen and his betraying Akatsuki, so…I combined chapters Eleven and Twelve into one. Next up, the Epilogue.**

**Now, as for power levels compared to shinigami; pure reiryoku is denser, stronger, and generally more powerful than Chakra (because, after death, it has to compensate for the physical energy aspect of chakra). Therefore, a Kage level ninja here would be the equivalent, by my measures, of a Fifth or Fourth Seat Shinigami, maybe Third. Most would point out, then, that Naruto would have been killed by the sheer pressure of Yamamoto's reiatsu in Chapter Six. Ah, but those who say that are forgetting: all shinigami ranked as Captain or Lieutenant have their power limited to twenty percent of their maximum while they're in the Human World.**

**What this means for Naruto is that, at his strongest, he will never truly be Captain level. HOWEVER, certain events involving our furry little friend sealed in Naruto's belly will ensure that Naruto is on nearly equal, if not flat out equal, ground with Yama-jii by the sequel. **

_**And…No matter what…protect your honor…**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_**J**__ames Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	12. Gotta' Knock a Little Harder

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Twelve: Gotta' Knock a Little Harder**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

**1335 A.D.**

People milled around, walking through the village as they went about their day to day life. Men carried swords at their waists, the tops of their heads shaved and the rest tied in a topknot. Women busied themselves with things essential to the comfort of their family and their home. Children ran around, playing in the dirt streets.

The sun shone brightly, illuminating the vast village in all of its modern structures. Buildings had sliding doors to them now instead of the flaps of straw and bamboo that the lesser, humbler villages used to protect their huts from the elements. Homes were sturdy with cream colored walls and dark blue-tiled tops.

Three men walked through this village, and, in their black kimono and hakama, they wouldn't stand out all that much amongst the inhabitants. Two were tall while the other was hunched over, gripping a gnarled cane. Two had hair, the other was shaved bald with a long, plated white beard. The third figure, hunched and bald, had a white haori draped over his shoulders.

To the villagers, however, none of this mattered, as they couldn't see these men anyway.

"Yama-jii," one of the men complained to the third, "what are we doing here?"

"Shush, Shunsui!" the second man scolded, his long white hair tied in a ponytail. "But I must admit to being curious, Genryuusai-sensei. Why is it that we're here? I see no hollows."

Yamamoto paused for a moment, looking at something in the distance that neither Shunsui nor Juushiro could. At length, he responded, "We're here to see an old friend of mine."

As the old man began walking again, Juushiro and Shunsui shared a look, blinking with wide eyes. To one another, they mouthed the words, "Old friend?"

Turning back forward, Juushiro rushed to catch up with his teacher, "Genryuusai-sensei! What do you mean by 'old friend'?"

"You will see when we get there," Yamamoto said without pausing, his half-lidded eyes set forward. As Shunsui caught up, he shot Juushiro a questioning look. The white-haired man gave his friend a bewildered shrug, jogging slightly as Yamamoto left them behind again.

To visit an old friend. That was the excuse that Yamamoto-Genryuusai Shigekuni had given his two students for their trip into the living world. What puzzled Ukitake Juushiro was not the trip itself, but rather the supposed purpose of it. Yamamoto was at least thirteen hundred years old and had spent those years as a Shinigami, so who could he know in the living world that had been alive at the same time as him?

The rest of the journey was silent; neither Shunsui nor Juushiro was willing to ask more about their destination and the man they were looking for (or woman, as the case might be). Several random people shot them funny looks, as though they could actually see the strange trio, and most of them had either blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes, or pale lavender eyes (which struck Juushiro as odd; weren't people whose eyes had no pupils blind?).

For the most part, however, they were left alone. No one bothered to talk to them or stop them on their journey and no one questioned their presence, which made Juushiro think that, perhaps, Yamamoto had been here more often than he had ever told them. The other explanation was that they were used to strangers walking through their village, but that made even less sense than the first.

"This is the place," Yamamoto said suddenly. Juushiro stopped walking to turn his gaze to the building that his sensei was talking about.

It was an extremely tall tower, especially by the standards of the buildings and houses around it. The top reached into the clouds, its peak scraping the sky with red tiles. About midway up, a large, circular red sign hung, the kanji for 'Fire' written in its center and the paint peeling from age. The building itself was also strange, made of what appeared to be some sort of beige brick, and, though it looked in disrepair, was definitely habitable.

It was certainly old looking, that's for sure, but Juushiro wouldn't put it at any older than two, maybe three hundred years old. It looked as though it hadn't been kept up for nearly fifty years, but, beyond that, was in fairly good condition. A gate surrounded it, tall and just as circular as the tower itself, but in just as poor condition as the sign.

"Are you serious? But, Yama-jii!" Shunsui whined. "This tower doesn't look like it could support a pin, let alone three full grown Shinigami!"

"What are you talking about?" Juushiro gave him a funny look. "This tower can't be more than three hundred years old. It may be rundown, but it's in good enough condition that it could certainly be lived in!"

"What are _you_ talking about?" Shunsui shot back, jabbing a finger at the tall tower. "This thing looks like a strong breeze would knock it over! Look, the roof is rotted through and the foundation looks so unstable that I'm surprised this thing is still standing."

"So, Shunsui, you fell for the illusion," Yamamoto remarked with a light amusement. He tapped his cane on the ground and, immediately, Shunsui's mouth fell open. Juushiro looked back at the tower, but saw nothing different.

"What just happened?" Shunsui asked in an awed voice.

"The image you saw was merely to repel trespassers and discourage people from trying to tear it down," Yamamoto explained. "It was merely an illusion, an expertly set up one, to keep this tower's inhabitant safe from the outside world. You will not find a Kidô capable of matching it."

Without another word, Yamamoto walked through the gate and opened the old, wooden door. Shunsui still looked to be in shock, so, sighing in exasperation, Juushiro grabbed him by the arm and half-dragged him forward as they followed their teacher inside. The door creaked slightly as he closed it behind himself, but showed no sign of falling off its hinges.

The inside was much more lavish than the outside was, that Juushiro noticed immediately. The floor was made of polished wood and, in some cases, marble tile, and reflected the light streaming in from the large glass windows. Several furnished hangings hung from the beige walls and oil lamps hung from the ceiling, illuminating what would have normally remained in shadow.

Yamamoto made a turn and began up a set of stairs, Juushiro following with a recovered Shunsui on his tail. They reached the second floor, but Yamamoto didn't pause to check it out. Instead, he merely continued up the staircase and on towards the third floor, where they also skipped out and moved to the fourth floor.

On the fourth floor, the sound of a pair of feet walking stopped their ascent. Looking up, Juushiro was met with a pair of wide, surprised lavender eyes, not unlike those he had seen on some of the people in the street. He got the impression that she always wore that look. She had long, silky black hair that traveled down to the small of her back and her bangs were cropped right above her eyebrows.

"Hello, my dear," Yamamoto said politely.

"Oh," the girl said in a soft, airy voice. She couldn't have been older than nine or ten. "Are you here to see Grandfather?"

"Yes," Yamamoto nodded. "We're here to see your grandfather."

Nodding, she said, still in that same voice, "Follow me, please."

She led them back up the staircase, a tray of tea held carefully in her arms. They passed the fifth floor, then the sixth, seventh, and eighth. At the ninth, she paused for a moment to light incense sticks in front of two pictures: one of a woman with chocolate brown eyes and her hair done up in buns on either side of her head, and the other who looked much like the young woman in front of them.

After a bow and a moment of what seemed to be prayer, the girl stood straight and picked up the tray of tea again, leading them further up the staircase to the tenth floor. It was there, they noticed, that the stairs ended, leaving nothing but an open hallway with two massive doors at the end. Along the walls were several frames, each containing a picture, a name, and a numbered title. The last picture on the wall was of a dark-haired man, beneath which was 'Namikaze Kaworu' and the title 'Kyuudaime Hokage'.

At these giant oak doors, the girl nudged one open and slipped easily into the room beyond. There was some light clanging, as of tea being served, and a soft, hushed conversation. Then, the girl's head poked out the door and she said, "He'll see you, now."

When the doors were fully opened and the trio entered the room, Shunsui and Juushiro gasped. The room was pristine and clean, undiminished by the passage of time. Large windows in the back allowed for a spectacular view of men's faces carved into a nearby mountainside, as well as the sprawling village below.

Sitting on a cushion behind a small table was a man with long white hair and an equally long white beard and mustache. He smiled at them in a friendly manner, and spoke in a firm tenor voice that one wouldn't expect of a man his age, "It's been a long time, Shigekuni."

"Indeed it has," Yamamoto responded in kind, "Naruto."

A wave of spiritual pressure suddenly buffeted the room, driving the air from Shunsui and Juushiro's lungs. Yamamoto merely smiled, "You've gotten much stronger since that time so long ago."

Naruto snorted and the pressure suddenly vanished, "You can blame the fox for that one, old man."

"Indeed," Yamamoto commented neutrally. "Now, why don't you remove that illusion? I must admit, even _I_ cannot see through it."

"Really?" Naruto asked. The air around him rippled for a second, then his features dissolved into those of a middle aged man, gray hair just barely touching his head and wrinkles only starting to appear on his face. "At a hundred and fifty two years old, that's what you'd expect me to look like, though, isn't it?"

It really was miraculous, Yamamoto thought, what the Nine-tails could do to keep his host alive. Were it not for the few strands of grey on his scalp and the crows feet around his eyes and laugh lines around his mouth, Naruto would look to be in his mid twenties. At a hundred and fifty two years old, he really should look old and decrepit, but he didn't appear a day over forty five.

"Man," Shunsui whistled, grinning, "you look like you could be her father, not her grandfather!"

"She's actually my great-great-great-great granddaughter," Naruto explained, "and she does have a name, you know. She's Namikaze Hikari."

Shunsui bowed, smiling charmingly, "It's good to meet you, Hikari-chan."

Hikari returned it with a small smile of her own, but Naruto brought the attention back onto himself, "So, Shigekuni, who are the two little brats you brought with you?"

"Brats?" Juushiro repeated indignantly. "We're nearly as old as you are!"

"Have you ever seen one of your comrades die?" Naruto asked harshly. "Have you ever been totally outclassed by anyone but Yamamoto? Have you ever truly _ended_ someone's life?"

"Well, no," Juushiro admitted, "but—"

"Then you're still brats to me," Naruto said firmly.

"I apologize for my student's presumptuousness," Yamamoto said sincerely. "These two are Ukitake Juushiro and Kyoraku Shunsui, my latest and only apprentices."

"Don't worry about it," Naruto waved it off. "So, I take it you got my message?"

"Yes, I did," Yamamoto confirmed. "But, first, what happened here? Last time I saw you, nearly a hundred years ago, this was a sprawling city of tall towers and power. Now…it's such a primitive place."

Naruto took a moment to answer, "After I united the Elemental Nations, ninja became unnecessary. Several were still around and trained should a war break out again, but, after six decades of peace, ninja declined into nothing. Hikari is the last child trained in the arts, by myself personally, and will, hopefully, pass these skills down my line. Like I said, though, she is the last one. The samurai rose to power, and, nearly sixty years ago, war broke out once more. I decided not to get involved."

"Not get involved?" Juushiro asked incredulously. "Why on earth not? If you can make a difference, why don't you?"

"Juushiro," Naruto sighed, "I was ninety years old, Hinata-chan was becoming frail and weak, and most people fell for my illusion. I wasn't going to abandon my wife for the sake of a country that would probably fall apart shortly after I united it again anyway. The only time I've gotten involved in Japan's affairs since then was to stop the Mongol invasion not so long ago."

"I see," Yamamoto said mournfully. "And all that technology…?"

"Was the first to go," Naruto answered. "The samurai wanted to return to the ways of old, to how things were before Rikudo Sennin introduced Chakra to the world. To that effect, they destroyed all of the technological advances that ninja and the Hidden Villages had made so that they could erase that part of their history."

He crossed his arms, "Ninja are back again, of course, to do jobs that none of the samurai want to touch, but they look like infants compared to the ninja I knew. They know nothing of chakra or ninjutsu."

"I see," Yamamoto said once more. "Now, why did you call me here?"

Naruto sighed, "I'm tired, Shigekuni. It's been fifty years since Hinata-chan died and sixty-five years since Tenten-chan passed on. If this current trend continues, then I'll be well into my five hundreds by the time the Nine-tails finally lets me go."

"You want to move on," Yamamoto concluded. As Naruto nodded, the old man suddenly looked thrice his age. "I'm sorry, Naruto, but the Central Forty-six is unanimous. So long as the Kyubi's taint remains on your soul, you cannot enter Soul Society."

Naruto frowned, sighing bitterly, "I figured as much. That's why I came up with a better idea."

Yamamoto perked up, intrigued, so Naruto went on, "There is one part of my soul that the Kyubi has never been able to 'taint'. This part of my soul is a reflection of how I was before the sealing, so it's pure and, essentially, a blank slate. In exchange for two favors from you, I'm willing to let you have this part of my soul, the part tied to Hyôrinmaru."

"What?" Juushiro asked incredulously. "How can you possibly —?"

Yamamoto shot him a look, which silenced him, then looked back at the blonde, "What two favors?"

"The first is that Hinata-chan and Tenten-chan regain their memories of their lives as humans upon reaching their Bankai," Naruto said, holding up a single finger. A second one joined it. "The second condition is that I be allowed to reclaim this piece of my soul as well as Hyôrinmaru once the Nine-tails' taint has been purified."

"I'm sorry, but I can't grant the first," Yamamoto said wearily. He looked grave as he turned his eyes back up to the blonde. "Namikaze Tenten-san has been reincarnated. Her memories are, unfortunately, irretrievable."

A look of devastation crossed Naruto's face. Without warning, he suddenly stood and walked over to the window, letting out a sob and a shaky breath as he leaned against the frame. After a moment, he spoke, his voice trembling as he tried to regain his composure, "And Hinata-chan?"

"Namikaze Hinata has taken up a life and a new name in the first district of Rukongai," Yamamoto reported. "She goes by the name Hinamori Momo. Within the next couple hundred years, she should rediscover her powers and, in all likeliness, join the Shinigami Academy."

"Good," Naruto sighed in relief. "Then my conditions stand. Do you accept?"

"Wait a moment, Genryuusai-sensei," Juushiro interrupted. "How can he split his soul? I thought such a thing was impossible."

"In this world," Yamamoto paused for a second, "there are nine humans who are special, as compared to other humans. At birth, they are cursed, or gifted, depending on point of view, with a great power. Because they must live their lives controlling and, hopefully, harnessing this power, they are called 'Jinchuuriki'. These nine humans are the only ones capable of splitting their soul, because, by all technicalities, it has already been split. That is the general consensus of what happens when two souls inhabit the same body."

"So he's," Juushiro pointed at Naruto, "one of those nine?"

"The only one left," Naruto replied. He held out his hand. "So, Shigekuni, do we have a deal?"

Yamamoto thought for a moment, then took the proffered hand, "It is decided, then."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

**665 Years Later**

"Kurosaki," the teacher said, glaring at him. Ichigo looked up, doing his best to turn his bored look into one of calmness, "perhaps you would like to share what you know with the class? Namikaze Naruto was the subject, in case you've forgotten."

With an almost inaudible sigh, Ichigo stood up from his seat, "According to the most accurate of records to date, Namikaze Naruto was born on October Tenth in the year 1183 AD. The minute details of his childhood, much like the details of any famous warrior's childhood, are obscure and relatively unknown. All that historians have been able to discern is that he was an orphan and generally disliked by the members of his village."

Ichigo took a breath before continuing, "At the age of fifteen, Namikaze Naruto was considered to be one of the strongest warriors in the military superpower known as Konohagakure no Sato, though many major researchers are still disputing over whether or not any such place ever existed. Generally, though, the Hidden Leaf Village is the accepted birthplace and 'home town', so to speak, of Namikaze.

"At the age of twenty," Ichigo went on, "Namikaze Naruto officially became the leader of his village and was, by default, its strongest warrior. Three years later, Namikaze completed a task that, before then, was considered to be impossible: he united Japan into a single country. He was married to two women, something which wasn't terribly uncommon in that age: a woman named Tenten, whose original surname or clan was never found, and the heiress to an important clan, Hyuga Hinata."

Ichigo inhaled again, "Namikaze would continue to set records throughout his life. He enjoyed a large family, reigned as the first true emperor of Japan, brought peace wherever he could, treated peasants equally, and lived to be one hundred and fifty two years old. Legends even tell of a mysterious power he wielded: the power to freeze the hottest flame and turn the moisture in the air into his weapon. Such claims have been disregarded as myth, despite the rose made of ice that still exists today in the national museum, forever frozen and preserved through some unknown force."

"Very good, Kurosaki," the teacher applauded him softly. Ichigo resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "but aren't you forgetting something?"

Ichigo sighed, "It's a widely unknown fact that the current generation of the Kurosaki family is directly descended from Namikaze Naruto through their mother's side."

Ichigo sat down amidst the stares of the entire classroom. Even Rukia was staring at him with wide eyes, though her skin had gone deathly pale during some part of his speech.

"Now, class," the teacher stated loudly, "please turn to the page we left off on yesterday. Kurosaki, if you would be so kind, I'd like you to read Act IV for us. Since you seem in such a sharing and talking mood, it seems only fitting."

Sighing, Ichigo flipped open his copy of the book, the word 'Loveless' written across the cover. Finding the appropriate section, he read, "My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess."

Taking a breath, he went on, "My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey in my own salvation…and your eternal slumber. Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end. The wind sails over the water's surface, quietly, but surely."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued  
**_**in  
****Crisis Core: The Azure Moon**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach **

**Well, here you go. This is the final chapter of "Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens". For those of you who really enjoyed the TenNaruHina aspect of this story, I apologize for ruining it for you. However, as I could not give Tenten a reincarnation amongst the Shinigami, she had to become Tatsuki and forget, totally, who she once was.**

**Please, review! I got so few of them last chapter, that I really was disappointed in you guys.**

**Voice Actor changes for Crisis Core:  
Namikaze Naruto — Steve Burton (Who voices Cloud Strife)  
Hinamori Momo/Namikaze Hinata (Post-Bankai) — Andrea Bowen (Aerith Gainsborough)**

**The B-Side chapters are not considered part of SUTFH Canon. The sequel will be written in the normal chapter continuity. B-side chapters will not have any influence on the sequel.**

**I'm in the mood to write a Halo: Reach Crossover. What should I cross it with? I've considered Harry Potter but I'm not sure how I'd manage a NarutoXHalo: Reach crossover.**

And mankind will be safe to dream beyond the clouds…


	13. Chapter VI: B Side

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Six: Memories in the Rain - B-side  
— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, frowned, looking down at the young man that kneeled in front of her submissively with suspicion in her amber gaze. His head was bowed, showing her a crown of dark brown locks that could only be the result of a desperate dye-job. His breathing was calm and deep, as though he were not afraid of whatever judgment she would make of him.

She could sense no nervousness or fear from the seventeen year old before her, his neck bared enough for any fool to make a swift, killing blow. He was trusting his life in her hands, almost like he was _not_ a mass murderer with a humongous bounty on his head. He seemed as if nothing had changed since he was thirteen, as if he was simply requesting or reporting for another mission.

She looked over toward Jiraiya, noting dully that he looked as serious as she had ever seen him, and silently asked a second time if the story he had told her was true. The white-haired pervert nodded solemnly, telling her just as silently that the information he had given her just a few days ago was indeed true. Her frown deepened.

Naruto stood by the door, his arms folded in front of his chest and his half-lidded blue eyes watching the scene with an aloofness that even Hyuga Hiashi would admire. He was, Tsunade noticed with a hint of sadness, becoming more and more like the ninja he was supposed to be. A Chûnin flak jacket was leaned up against the wall behind his leg.

"Oi, Baa-chan," Naruto called calmly, swallowing his fear as she turned a narrowed eye onto him. "Aren't you going to even ask for evidence of his loyalty or something like that?"

Naruto suppressed a shiver as Tsunade threw a dark glare at him, her right eyebrow twitching dangerously beneath her blonde bangs. He gulped at the promise of pain hidden deep within her molten chocolate gaze, a thick drop of sweat trickling down his face as a vein started to pulse visibly on her forehead.

"He's right, Tsunade-hime," Jiraiya said calmly. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as the woman's intense glare was refocused onto the white-haired man, her burning eyes willing the Toad Sage to burst into flame spontaneously. Jiraiya seemed unfazed.

"It's your responsibility as Hokage to review all the evidence and facts before making a judgment," the pervert continued, his eyes unwavering and strong. He was firm in his conviction and was taking the situation with all of the seriousness it deserved. Naruto had a newfound respect for him.

Tsunade hung her head and sighed, leaning back against her thick wooden desk, "I know that."

She looked up at Itachi expectantly, "Well? Do you have any proof of your loyalty?"

Itachi seemed to hesitate, then pointed at Naruto, "My first piece of evidence, or rather, my first _two_ pieces of evidence, rest on Naruto-kun's fingers."

Taking his cue, Naruto held up his right hand so that his Hokage could get a better look at it. Resting snugly on his ring finger and his middle finger were the Akatsuki rings of Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. One bore the kanji character for 'Suzaku' and the other bore the character for 'South'.

"I see," Tsunade nodded, "but if that is all you have…"

"No," Itachi responded, pulling a scroll from the depths of his mantle, "I have more."

He laid a scroll out on the floor, unraveling it so that the assembled group could see that it was a storage scroll. He bit his thumb, wiping the blood that gathered onto the paper, then flipped through hand seals. He finished quickly, placing his palms against the edge of the delicate but sturdy rice-paper. In a flash, two pieces of a legendary sword sat in Tsunade's office.

"Is that…" Jiraiya asked quietly, "Samehada?"

Itachi nodded, "I retrieved the two halves of this sword before I set out to make contact with Naruto-kun. Without the life force of its original owner present, it was unable to resist me. As it was, in two pieces, its sentient mind is slowly dieing, though its powers are no less weak."

"Which means that it could be re-forged into something else," Naruto injected, eyes fixed on the broken sword. "It could be melted down and shaped into armor, or even several new swords."

"Since Naruto-kun is the one who broke it," Itachi said, glancing back at the boy, "I think he deserves to decide what shall be done with it."

Naruto shrugged at the two Sannin's questioning looks, confirming that he had indeed cut it in two, then spoke, "I don't really have any need of it, so it should be made into ninja-to for the ANBU. I think they'll find it really useful."

"Very well, I'll have our best blacksmith get to work immediately," Tsunade turned back to Itachi. "Anymore evidence…?"

"Yes," Itachi nodded, pulling two scrolls from his mantle, "the last words of the Sandaime Hokage and the head of Hoshigaki Kisame."

Eyes wide, Tsunade reached out and grasped the scrolls, one of which had a seal on it that could only belong to her sensei, Sarutobi. The other had splotches of blood along the edges and bloody fingerprints on the outside, both dried up and dyed maroon from age. She handed the bloody scroll to Jiraiya, who took it with something of a grimace on his face.

With haste born of anxiety, Tsunade tore open the scroll in her hands, her eyes scanning the paper with a critical gaze that left even Itachi impressed. She looked up at several points in her reading, either at Itachi himself or at Naruto, no doubt trying to justify the words before her. Her lips fell into a sad smile as she read the last bits of it, her eyes settling on Naruto, who shifted uncomfortably.

She sighed as she rolled the scroll back up, looking over at Jiraiya. Her face twisted into a look of disgust as he grimaced, holding up the severed head of the infamous ninja Hoshigaki Kisame. There was a hole in the man's forehead, right beneath the metal plate of his hitai-ate, and a surprised look on his face, his mouth opened slightly in fear to reveal sharp teeth. Jiraiya held him by his blue hair.

Tsunade sighed, "Alright, we have the evidence needed. Welcome back, Itachi-san."

"There's only one problem," Jiraiya said, frowning as he resealed Kisame's head, "what are we going to tell the villagers?"

A mischievous and evil smile crept over Naruto's lips as an idea popped into his head, "I think I know what we can say to them…"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasuke slowly walked into the plaza, noting absently that it seemed every person in Konoha was gathered for whatever purpose Tsunade had summoned them. Looking over, he could see Sakura and Ino chatting, probably taking guesses about what was going on. He didn't see Naruto anywhere, though, and snorted as he figured that the blonde was eating Ramen somewhere.

Sasuke turned his dark gaze over to the stage that Tsunade stood upon and saw a tall man that couldn't be older than seventeen standing next to the Hokage. There was something familiar about the man, the hairstyle in particular, but he couldn't place his finger on what it was that made the man seem memorable. Or rather, he couldn't place his finger on who the man reminded him of.

It bugged him. It was even more annoying than when Naruto had worn those god-awful orange jumpsuits. Those he could handle, simply because it was Naruto who wore them. The nagging feeling in the back of his head, however, he could not handle. It kept telling him that he should recognize that man standing up on the stage. That he _knew_ that man.

Sasuke growled lightly, wishing that Tsunade would just get this whole announcement thing over with, so that he could go home and ponder this problem properly. But there were still people who had yet to arrive, people who, for whatever reason, needed to hear this speech that she was going to give. So Sasuke waited.

Finally, after everyone had arrived, the grand and mighty Fifth Hokage spoke up, her strong voice carrying out over the massive crowd standing before her, "People of Konoha! I have gathered you here today to tell you the truth of a matter that has long since been misunderstood and misinterpreted!"

"Get on with it," Sasuke growled lightly, scowling up at the youthful face of the Hokage.

"The truth that you know is nothing more than a lie!" she claimed, her voice echoing across the silent mass of citizens and ninja. Her fierce, chocolaty brown eyes bore into the gaze of everyone present, forcing their attention onto her. "I have come here today to speak to you about an event that has bred a great misconception!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as she continued her speech, her words strong and unwavering. There was an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach, as though something was wrong with this entire set up, this entire event. With a muffled curse, he turned his Sharingan on and immediately felt his stomach drop. She was lying.

"I have come here today to speak to you about one single event," she continued, her gaze firm and unwavering. "I have come here today to speak to you about that dreaded event nearly five years ago. As I'm sure all of you have guessed, that event is…"

"No…" Sasuke whispered disbelievingly, his eyes wide as she pressed on.

"The Uchiha massacre," she finished, her lips drawn tight as the entire assembly looked at her with awe and surprise. "What you have been told is a lie. Uchiha Itachi was _not_ the man who slaughtered the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Itachi is a victim of a dastardly plot, as well as circumstance."

Her eyes swept over the entire group, "We have learned recently, from the mouth of the man himself, that Orochimaru desires the Sharingan above all else. He wants its power to learn every technique the ninja world has to offer. With the Sharingan, he could accomplish that. And the Uchiha clan was the only clan with the Sharingan.

"We have also learned," she went on, ignoring the looks she got, "that he wanted the eyes of the strongest Uchiha he could find. He wanted the eyes of Uchiha Itachi. But Itachi was too well protected. He had an entire village, as well as his clan, to back him up. So Orochimaru resorted to the best possible plan he could execute in order to get Itachi's eyes."

Her face became grave, "He killed the entire clan and framed Itachi for it all."

The gasps of horror that followed were expected, but she ignored them, "By framing Itachi, he hoped to force him out of the village, where he would be helpless against the Snake Sennin's attacks and tricks. But Orochimaru was wary. Itachi was the strongest Uchiha since Madara. Defeating him would not be easy. So he left some insurance. He spared Uchiha Sasuke and left him alive incase Itachi proved too strong."

"She's…lying?" Sasuke whispered to himself, confused. "But…why would she be lying about this? Unless…"

He looked over at the man standing on the stage, his Sharingan peering at and memorizing the familiar stranger's appearance. His eyes widened to impossible size as the supposed identity of the man was revealed. But…was that _truly_ Itachi standing up there, looking as if the world was calm and everything was alright?

"What Orochimaru didn't know," Tsunade went on, "is that Itachi was reporting to the Hokage about the incident the moment that Orochimaru left the village to wait for him. At the time, there was no conceivable way to prove Itachi's innocence, so he was sent out on a spying mission. Luckily for us, Itachi proved too powerful for him to beat.

"Recently," Tsunade held up a scroll, "the Sandaime's last words were found and shown to me. In this scroll was the proof of Itachi's innocence. And so, Itachi was recalled and brought back here where he could do the most good as one of our elites!"

She gestured to the brown haired man standing on the stage with her. As he walked forward, she introduced him, "People of Konoha, I give you one of our most powerful shinobi and the man who killed Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi!"

There was a loud roar of approval from the crowd as Itachi bowed, but Tsunade ignored it all in favor of scanning the members of the gathering. She frowned as she looked amongst their numbers, but the person she was looking for was absent. Uchiha Sasuke had left the assembly.

This did not bode well.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasuke bit his lip, rolling over the information he had learned in his mind. He felt anger boil up inside his belly as he thought about everything and his curse seal reacted to that anger, flaring to life painfully. He stifled a groan as he forced the wretched mark back down, his lip bleeding from where he had bitten into it.

"_I want the truth!" Sasuke demanded, glaring at the teen that was unpacking and rearranging his old room. In a strange sense of déjà vu, it almost seemed like the older boy was merely coming back from another mission._

"_The truth?" Itachi asked calmly, arching his eyebrow slightly._

"_I know Tsunade was lying!" Sasuke shouted angrily. "Tell me the truth! The real reason why you killed the clan!"_

Sasuke let out a shuddering sigh, leaning back against the tree he was sitting in. It had been a few hours since he had asked that question, demanding that Itachi tell him the truth and not the lie that Tsunade had conjured. Itachi had seemed hesitant at first, as if he didn't want to tell Sasuke for whatever reason.

"_I killed them," Itachi said slowly, "because I was ordered to."_

"_What?" Sasuke hissed quietly, eyes narrowed._

"_The clan had plans," Itachi continued vaguely, "plans that would have weakened the village more than the nine-tails attack did. They were so obsessed with their own supposed superiority that they were willing to sacrifice the whole village in order to prove their strength. I had to stop that from occurring, or else we all would have been torn apart."_

Itachi's words from so long ago had popped into Sasuke's mind unbidden at that point, and he suddenly could tie that in to what Itachi had tried to tell him.

"_Obsessed with the organization, obsessed with the clan, obsessed with our lineage,"_ Itachi had hissed at those policemen, _"a worthless compulsion that enslaves us, limits our capabilities, leading us to fear what you don't understand."_

Then those words that followed, _"I've had enough. There's no hope left for this pathetic clan. The people of this clan are all the same. You focus on the trivial and lose sight of what's most important. Change is impossible in this fog of ignorance. How can we evolve when regulation is all we know?"_

He didn't want to believe it, that Itachi had been justified in his murder of the clan. It seemed impossible that the noble Uchiha clan was capable of such a dastardly plot, that they had actually planned to destroy the village to prove their strength…that his mother had been involved in it all.

"_The Hokage tried to convince them otherwise, subtly, without letting on that he knew about their plots, that I had told him what they intended to do," Itachi had continued. "But they didn't stop. They were too loyal to the clan. They put that loyalty above their loyalty to the village. Inevitably, it became impossible to change their ways. I was offered the mission to exterminate them for the good of the village. I accepted."_

_Itachi lifted haunted red eyes to meet Sasuke's wide black ones, "You can't understand, Sasuke, because you didn't grow up the same way I did. You didn't see the horror of the Third Great Shinobi War. I knew that, if the clan succeeded, the village would be too vulnerable to defend itself. If that happened, a Fourth Great War was imminent."_

"_Liar!" Sasuke had yelled, punching the older boy in the face. Itachi didn't block or dodge, his face twisting to the side with Sasuke's momentum. There was no blood, only the dull pain in Sasuke's knuckles._

"_Liar_…" Sasuke whispered aloud, hugging his knees to his chest. "You're such a liar, 'tachi."

Sasuke tensed, grasping at the mid-length sword strapped to his back. With a sharp, metallic rasp, it slid from its wooden sheath as Sasuke stood, slicing through the wires that had attempted to bind him to his tree. He adjusted his grip on his weapon, brandishing it in front of himself as the wires fell, cut and useless.

"Well, well," an oily voice cooed from the foliage, "perhaps he's not as useless as we first thought…eh?"

"You're right, Sakon," another voice called, a cockier tone to it, "and it seems that little twig of his has some use as well. Here was me, thinking that slab of steel wouldn't even cut butter."

"Whoever you are," Sasuke's eyes flashed, their irises bleeding into crimson red from their normal dark black shade, "you should know better than to attack a member of the elite Uchiha clan."

With three puffs of thick smoke, three corresponding summoned creatures, demons as they appeared to be, appeared on the tree with Sasuke. Flute music picked up in the crisp night air, ringing in the ears of Sasuke and the strange blind monsters. He scowled as the beasts charged towards him in perfect tandem, moving to the tune of the music.

Breaking into a soft run, Sasuke moved on a collision course with the beasts, muttering under his breath as he did so, "Banshou Issai Kaijin to Nase, Ryûjin Jakka."

As flames engulfed his sword in a fiery blaze, he swiped at the first monster, biting deep into its unnatural flesh and its ugly hide. With a dark growl and an explosion of smoke, the beast disappeared into nothingness, unable to retain its form after the fatal blow that Sasuke had dealt to it. The other creatures became more wary.

The flute seemed to pick up speed and become more frantic, moving at a much faster tempo than before. The beasts responded to this increase in speed and followed suit, jumping towards Sasuke with more agility than before. Sasuke ducked under the swing of a particularly brutal looking club and stabbed forward, impaling the second beast on his flaming sword. It vanished.

The music dancing in the air picked up even more speed, but that didn't matter to Sasuke. He rushed the final monster, ducking and weaving through its vicious and desperate strikes as it tried to kill him. As he stabbed its heart then beheaded it with his sword of fire, he idly wondered if such a beast were capable of feeling emotions like desperation.

As the final summoned creature disappeared in an explosion of smoke, Sasuke turned his impassive gaze towards the four strange ninja who had been watching the entire bout with amusement. His menacing Sharingan eyes swirled as he looked at each of them in turn, his lips curling slightly, "Who are you?"

"Who are we?" the gray-haired one chuckled loudly, his lips an unnatural shade of green. "We are the Sound Four, or the Otogakure no Shinobi Yonin Shu. You can call me Sakon of the West Gate."

"I am Jiroubou of the South Gate," the tubby one said sternly, his arms folded in front of his chest. Idly, Sasuke thought he could pass himself off as an Akimichi if he wanted.

"I'm Kidomaru of the East Gate," the one with six arms smirked. Sasuke recognized him as the cockier voice from before.

"I'm Tayuya of the North Gate," the red-haired girl said with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "Don't forget it, you stupid bastard."

"I see," Sasuke muttered, gauging his opponents' strengths and weaknesses. If he remembered correctly, based on the Sound Genin from the Chûnin Exams, ninja from Otogakure were often lousy team fighters. He smirked, the flames from his blade illuminating his face in a dark light, "Is that what you'd like me to put on your gravestones?"

Tayuya swore, then, in a flash, they all leapt at each other, each side determined to pound the other into the ground. Ducking under Sakon's high kick, Sasuke grabbed the other boy's leg, spinning around and throwing the silver-haired ninja into the oncoming Kidomaru. Tayuya was next, but Sasuke merely moved to the side, tripping her with his right leg and digging his elbow into her spine, right between her shoulder blades. She fell to the bark and didn't move.

With a jerk of his arm, the fire on his sword went out and he sheathed it with a dark scoff. These guys weren't even worth his blade. Sasuke turned his head as Jiroubou let out a battle cry, charging at him like a wounded rhino. Sasuke's lip curled into a sneer and he vanished in a blur, reappearing in front of the large ninja with his elbow buried in the larger boy's gut. Jiroubou fell backwards and didn't move.

"If this is the extent of your power, the extent of the power Orochimaru has given you, Sound Four, then I'm not impressed," Sasuke said smugly, his Sharingan fading back into black. "Orochimaru needs to find better help. You guys…you're pathetic."

Sasuke felt his lips curl in satisfaction as the four sound ninja stood up unscathed, each wearing a smirk on his or her face as black markings slowly crept across their skin. Crimson red bled into his black eyes as two tomoe swirling around his pupils appeared within his irises, spinning around and around like a wheel.

'_I'll become stronger, Itachi,'_ Sasuke thought as a dark smirk crept onto his lips. _'Then, when I'm strong enough to beat you, I'll force you to tell me the truth. No more lies, Big Brother. No more lies from your mouth.'_

Sasuke jumped backwards, flipping through hand seals as Sakon rushed forward to attack him. He stopped on the tiger seal, inhaling deeply as chakra gathered in his lungs. He blew outward and a giant fireball was conjured, barreling into the unprepared Sakon, consuming him in a ball of crackling flames.

Tayuya was next, leaping towards him in an inevitable taijutsu clash. Sasuke ducked underneath her right hook and kneed her squarely in her unprotected stomach, bringing his elbow up over her as she heaved and collapsed in on herself. Like before, the Uchiha's bony elbow came down and landed right between her shoulders. She crashed against the tree bark, sending splinters in the air but Sasuke was already gone.

Kidomaru was after her and, before the six-armed teen knew what had hit him, three of his arms were broken and hanging by his side at odd angles. He screamed as pain, like liquid fire, rushed through his limbs, racking pain receptors like looting bandits. He never saw the right hook aimed at his cheek before he went flying into the wall of a nearby building.

Jiroubou stumbled forward, roaring like a wounded rhinoceros and moving like a sumo wrestler, his hands reaching for his opponent. Sasuke scoffed at the larger boy, disappearing in a flash and reappearing behind his enemy, hovering in midair as his kick soared forward and crashed against the giant teen's skull, sending him diving forward into the wood.

Sasuke smirked, letting out a mocking chuckle, "Just as I said, pathetic."

Sakon stood first, his already blistering red skin darkening to crimson as his sclera blackened and an ugly fleshy red horn grew upwards from his forehead. Tayuya's skin darkened and tanned, horns growing out through her hair and forming a sort of crown on her head. The other two underwent similar mutations, each one more disturbing than the last.

Before Sasuke could move to parry their attacks, Sakon had knocked him down and Sasuke found himself staring up into those pitiless yellow eyes. He rolled out of the way as a vicious punch came down towards him, splintering the hard wood of the tree branch and sinking halfway through the limb.

Instantly, Sasuke moved, flickering in their vision as he appeared behind Sakon, his sword held in a reverse grip. Blood suddenly gushed out of the other ninja's back as a stab wound became clear a few inches from his right shoulder, doubtlessly puncturing his right lung. Sasuke hissed, using Naruto's name for the technique, "Senga." (Flash Fang)

Tayuya came charging at him next, calling out a battle cry as she aimed her fist for his unprotected head. He spun around swiftly, his sword moving like a phantom past his right hip and upwards. The strike caught Tayuya unprepared, slipping past her guard easily. Her shirt and chest bindings suddenly split open, revealing her bare breasts to the boy in front of her. A thin red cut arced up from her left hip, rolling over the swell of her right breast and ending at her shoulder.

Her nipples hardened in the cool night air and, with a shriek of embarrassment, she covered herself up with her arms, her bronze cheeks flooded with red. Sasuke's fist came from nowhere, colliding solidly with her cheek and sending her flying to the floor where she lay, motionless, her breasts exposed to the air. He blushed and looked away, half wishing he had kept his Sharingan on to burn that image to memory.

Kidomaru jumped at him next and Sasuke immediately turned his attention towards the six-armed teen, his sword flashing. He made two cuts into the red flesh of his enemy, the first one an exact opposite of the one on Tayuya and the second one a horizontal strike that had been meant to disembowel the spider-like foe. It failed, but Kidomaru collapsed backwards anyway.

Jiroubou was last and charged towards Sasuke like a rampaging hippopotamus, roaring like a stampeding elephant and growling like a pouncing lion. Sasuke's arm seemed to move of its own accord, stabbing the ninja-to into the giant teen's thick, round thigh. Blood spewed forth like a fountain, and for a second, Sasuke wondered if he had perhaps severed the femoral artery.

There was another roar and Kidomaru had leapt at him again, all six fists raised and prepared to pummel Sasuke into the ground. Ryûjin Jakka came to life in its wielder's palms, flames consuming the blade in a blaze of fiery glory. Sasuke made to end Kidomaru's life with his flaming sword when something unexpected happened.

Sasuke's Cursed Seal came to life at the last second, bringing with it a crippling pain that brought Sasuke to his knees and a cry of agony from his lips. Ryûjin Jakka's flames vanished into thin air and little black marks began to spread over the Uchiha's shoulder and neck. Kidomaru's fists struck true, sending Sasuke into the tree trunk with vicious ferocity.

Ryûjin Jakka became embedded in the wood as Sasuke curled up into a fetal ball, clutching at the skin of his neck and scratching the flesh surrounding the Cursed Mark raw. Kidomaru grinned at this and walked up to the boy, rearing his fists back. He threw punch after punch at the Uchiha, clobbering the teen with all his strength.

"You can't control it, can you?" he asked smugly, standing back to gaze at the small bruises he had inflicted. "You can't control your mark!"

He sent one more punch at the boy and tipped him on his side, grinning nastily, "Control of that mark is power, and power is what you want, right? Come with us, and we'll give you that power."

Cackling sadistically, Kidomaru picked up his comrades and disappeared into the calm stillness of the night, his laughter echoing through the air.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The night was dark, filling the air with a calm stillness that belied the true nature it held in its icy grasp. Mist crept along the ground like a sneaky thief, hiding those who wished to remain hidden and obscuring the ground like a blanket of thin silk. All was quiet and not a person moved amongst the deceptive stillness.

A shadow suddenly became visible through the heavy fog, gliding along like a specter searching for his next victim or a place to haunt. The mist moved away from the shadow, as if afraid of it or the might it may hold. Slowly, steadily, the identity of the phantom shade became known, and Uchiha Sasuke was its name.

Slung over his back was a pack full of clothes and such the like, as if he were going camping or on vacation. Were it not for the deep scowl planted firmly on his lips, like tent bolted into the soft ground, then it might have been misconstrued for an overnight stay at one of his friends' houses.

Anyone who knew Uchiha Sasuke, however, would also know that he wasn't one to go on camping trips with anyone or on vacation for any reason or even stay the night at his friend's house, like a normal child his age. In fact, anyone who knew Sasuke would tell you that he was downright unfriendly, and even cold and apathetic.

Sasuke frowned as he continued walking forwards, ignoring the chilling mist as it caressed his bare shins as intimately as a lover, water droplets clinging to his smooth legs. His face was damp, an invisible sheen of water and vapor masking his face and his bare forehead. He rubbed his brow nervously, feeling almost naked without his hitai-ate.

Itachi hadn't been home when Sasuke had decided to leave, which made it all that much easier to escape the ancestral home of the Uchiha. It would have been decidedly harder to run away if Itachi had been there to prevent him from going. Luckily, his elder brother was probably out on some mission or other.

"_Why, Nii-san? Why did you do this?"_

_Tears, hot and salty and pouring down his cheeks, black eyes wide with fear and anguish._

"_Foolish little brother…"_

_Blood; endless pools of blood stained the brown earth a sickly maroon. Mother and Father lying dead on the floor, crimson soaking into the wood and the mats._

_A tall teen, almost abnormally so considering his age of thirteen, walked into the light, his crimson eyes whirling and glaring dispassionately. Fear; uncontrollable fear flooded him in the face of certain death._

Sasuke shivered, rubbing his arms to warm himself in the cool night air. He continued walking, his footsteps silent and steady. His sandals made no sound as they clapped against the ground, his toes disappearing in the dense fog. He was like a phantom; a specter that did not exist and lacked the ability to make sound.

"_If you wish to kill me, then hate me, despise me, and live in an unsightly manner…"_

_Sharp gasps and killing intent, suffocating him and his lungs as he desperately tried to breathe. Blood painted the walls, the ceiling, the floor, even the ground was stained red. Crimson oozed from the small cracks between the wooden boards._

"_Run, run and cling to your pathetic life. Then, one day…"_

_Tomoe swirled together, forming a shuriken shape that spun slowly._

"…_when you have the same eyes as I do…come before me…"_

"Sasuke-kun," a voice called softly, reaching through the thick vapor blanket that should have shrouded him in anonymity. Sasuke froze, his body going rigid as he thought up maneuver after maneuver to ensure his escape. Each one was rejected; he _wouldn't_ hurt Sakura.

"Sakura," he turned to look at her, but she recoiled, as if frightened of his cold, emotionless eyes and his toneless voice, "what are you doing up this late?"

"I…" she stuttered, as if unsure of her words, "I came to see you. I thought…it's just…I thought you might need some company."

He almost arched an eyebrow; calmly responding, "Why's that?"

"Well," she glanced at her feet nervously, "things seem to be…changing, recently. Your…brother came back home. I thought…maybe you needed someone to talk to; someone to listen to you and pay attention to you."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"Is there…" Sakura started hesitantly, "…something wrong?"

"No," Sasuke replied after a moment, "nothing's wrong."

He turned away from her, forgetting that he had a backpack on his shoulders, "Everything's fine. Go home, get some rest."

There was a muffled sob from behind him and it took all his control not to turn around and address her tears, whether to quell them and comfort her or to simply watch as she fell apart in front of him, he didn't know. But the urge was there all the same and he had to clench his knee muscles tight to prevent from turning on his heel.

"Why, Sasuke-kun?" she cried, tears rolling over her delicate cheeks. "Why won't you say something to me?"

"I'm leaving, Sakura," he said after a pause, his voice soft. "I'm leaving so I can get stronger; strong enough to force the truth from Itachi. I need that strength, the strength to make my brother tell me the reason he killed our clan."

"The Curse Mark?" Sakura asked quietly, trying to stem the flow of her tears. She hiccupped, sniffling as she wiped the water from her eyes.

"Orochimaru gave it to me," Sasuke said simply, as though she hadn't known that. "He gave me that power. If I go to him, I can learn to control it and gain even more power. Power that can help me force the truth from Itachi."

"Is that all you care about, power?" she cried hysterically, her voice trembling with more pain than he'd ever thought possible. "Do I mean so little to you? Has all we've been through been for nothing? You're just going to throw everything we've ever accomplished away, just for some lousy truth that you're probably better off not knowing?

"Why can't you see it?" her knees buckled and she collapsed to the cobblestone beneath her, sobbing into her hands. Her voice was meek and desperate. "Why can't you see that I love you?"

A pair of warm arms swept her into a soft embrace, holding her against a muscled chest she'd been dreaming of for the better part of three years. She latched onto his shirt, sobbing into his shoulder, "I love you, Sasuke-kun. Please don't go."

The kiss was soft and tender and unexpected, but Sakura didn't care. All she cared about was the warmth pooling in her stomach and spreading outwards. Suddenly, all her pains were gone and all her tears dried. All that mattered was the soft pair of lips pressed against her own, massaging her fears and pains away.

"Goodbye, Sakura," she was starting to feel drowsy, even as his words were whispered into her ear. "And…Thank you."

'_Genjutsu?'_ Sakura thought absently. Then, her vision faded into black.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto had a bad feeling, not unlike the one he had when he had first met Kisame and Itachi in the inn while he and Jiraiya had looked for Tsunade. It was an acute sense of foreboding, and it usually warned him, quite accurately, of when something bad was about to happen or had happened.

Naruto glanced to his left; Shikamaru stood next to him, wearing his Chûnin vest overtop his normal attire and standing straight and alert. That was uncharacteristic of Shikamaru and proved that his danger senses were most likely correct in their detection of something wrong and of foul play. This whole thing had Orochimaru written all over it.

As if Shikamaru's uncharacteristic attentiveness wasn't alarming enough (and Shikamaru being serious was a sign of something horribly wrong), Tsunade was pacing back and forth behind her desk, constantly biting her lip and cursing something or other. Naruto could here enough swear words in there to make a prostitute blush.

Hyôrinmaru rattled in his sheath and that _really_ put Naruto on edge. Hyôrinmaru had never been nervous or overly cautious enough to echo such a sentiment as this feeling of wrongness. If Hyôrinmaru was nervous, then there was definitely something wrong. Naruto shifted uneasily.

As Tsunade continued to pace, Shikamaru looked over at Naruto and arched an eyebrow, as if to ask why he wasn't wearing his Chûnin flak jacket. Naruto shrugged, his eyes following the female Hokage as she walked back and forth, still cursing up a storm. Naruto didn't like the Chûnin flak jacket, so he chose not to wear it. That didn't make him any less of a Chûnin, after all.

Finally, the blond woman stopped her pacing and sighed, leaning forward and laying her palms flat on her clean desk. Her face was dark and serious and her amber eyes were as hard and sharp as tempered steel. When she spoke, it was quiet, but seemed to carry across the room quite easily, "At precisely Seven hundred hours this morning, we received word from Haruno Sakura about a certain situation."

She turned her gaze to Naruto, "It has come to our attention that, at approximately 00:45 hours last night…Uchiha Sasuke left Konoha."

Naruto and Shikamaru's eyes widened as the blond boy started, "But…why would he—?"

"We don't know," Tsunade said calmly. "Sakura-san was too hysterical to tell us anything else. She's at home right now crying into her pillow. As such, we are unsure if he left purely of his own free will…or if he was forced to leave. After all, it's very possible he was coerced into leaving."

"So you think he was threatened?" Naruto asked, eyes narrowing.

"It's a possibility," she responded.

"Sasuke's not the nicest guy around, but I doubt he'd leave willingly," Shikamaru spoke up. "He was probably threatened, and for someone to threaten Sasuke, they'd have to be pretty strong."

The Chûnin's eyes hardened, "If Naruto and I are going on this mission, Hokage-sama, which I believe is the reason you summoned us here, then I'd like to request a team of Jônin to come with us."

"I can't honor that request," Tsunade replied. "Right now, all of the Jônin are out on missions and won't be back for a while. Most Chûnin are in similar situations. I'm sorry, but the only thing I can do is allow you to take whatever strong Genin you might cross on the way out of the village. If you're lucky, you'll find three or four of them."

Shikamaru sighed, turning towards the door, "All right, we better get going, then. Come on, Naruto. Let's go."

"Naruto," Tsunade called out. Naruto paused, looking back at her. There was a gleam in her eye that he couldn't recognize. "In times of war, much like our current Cold War with the Sound, field promotions can occur if a ninja shows enough aptitude."

Naruto's eyes widened as she smirked and shooed him out the door. The heavy oak creaked shut with a loud bang.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

This mission was going to be a difficult one, Naruto could feel it in his bones. Sasuke had left the night before, and if he was being forced, then there was no doubt that there were other ninja to worry about. Sasuke and those unconfirmed ninja had an eight-hour head start. To catch up with them and stay on their trail, he needed to have those who could endure the long run. He needed the elite of the Genin.

Naruto looked over the people he had chosen for the retrieval team, mentally listing his reasons for choosing them. In order to avoid casualties and fatalities, he needed to be sure about the people he was choosing for this mission. To rescue Sasuke, he couldn't afford to take anyone that wasn't ready for intense combat.

Kiba was a certain necessity. As a member of the Inuzuka clan, his nose and sense of smell were unrivaled amongst the Genin. Were they to come across more ninja than they could handle one on one, then Kiba and Akamaru's tag-team method of fighting would prove invaluable. They needed Kiba's skills and senses in order to catch Sasuke and whatever ninja he was with.

Neji would have been Naruto's first choice from the Hyuga, but the prodigy had been training with Hiashi and, thus, was in no condition to join the team. Naruto would have brought Hinata along either way, but as it stood, it seemed she would have to be their eyes for this mission. She had some pretty good skill with a sword, but Neji's eyes were still better than hers.

Naruto would have like to take Lee, and if not Lee then Chouji, but Lee was still too weak from his surgery. It was likely that he wouldn't recover fully for another week or two, so Lee was definitely out. It was a shame, too. A taijutsu specialist would have been a most welcome addition. Chouji was Naruto's alternative to Lee and Shikamaru had even recommended him, but it turned out that Chouji was in the hospital for food poisoning.

Shikamaru had been assigned the mission, so Naruto hadn't needed to ask for him to join them, but he would have if it had come to it. Shikamaru was an amazing strategist, one with far more skill and wit than most of the people Naruto knew. His strategic ability would play a big part in how well this mission went.

The last person that had decided to join their crusade was the one that Naruto had expected the least, though it would perhaps be better to say he hadn't expected her to join at all. The team had run into Tenten on their way to the gates and she had been happy to join them. She was a bit too excited in Naruto's opinion.

Be that as it may, Tenten would definitely be an asset on this mission. She had an unprecedented skill with weapons, especially those of the thrown kind. As a primarily long range fighter, it was essential for her to be on the team, now that he thought about it. What if the enemy had a long range fighter? That would have spelled their doom.

"Right," Naruto said, nodding to himself as they all looked at him and waited for his orders. "You all know why you've been brought here. You all know what this mission is for and why we're on it. Sasuke ran away. We're going to bring him back."

He pulled out a scroll and unfurled it, digging into his kunai pouch for the pen he knew was there, grasping it and clicking the point out. He drew a diagram, "We'll form a single file line and line up in this manner. Kiba, you're first and you have point. You have the best nose in our group and know these forests better than any of us. It's also up to you to look for and warn us of traps and snares.

"Shikamaru, you're after Kiba. Behind Kiba and near the front of our group, you'll have one of the best viewpoints during our trek. You've also got your Kagemane no Jutsu, which will prove an invaluable asset. You're our thinker and our strategist, so it's up to you to come up with ideas for battle and such the like.

"I'm behind you, Shikamaru. I don't mean to brag…much…but I'm easily our strongest man. If anything happens that overwhelms us and leaves us in a bad position, one that we can't escape from, I want all of you to retreat and wait till I tell you it's safe. I intend to return from this mission without any fatalities or serious casualties.

"Hinata will be after me and will be the group's eyes. With her enhanced vision, she can easily see things that the rest of us would miss. She's got my back, so any long range or sniper attacks won't hit us or she can warn us before they do. Her eyes might not be as good as Neji's but they're essential to this squad. Beyond that, she's pretty good at medical stuff, too.

"Tenten is last and right behind Hinata. She's our sniper, our long range fighter. She's the assassin of our group and will primarily focus on surprise attacks should we be able to execute them. Should any of our enemies be a long range specialist, it will be your job to take them down."

He clicked the top of the pen and its ball point retracted into it, leaving the tip blunt and hollow. Naruto showed all of them the diagram, then rolled it up and handed each of them a kunai, "If we get separated, channel chakra into this kunai throw it. It'll act as a homing beacon for me and make it easier for us to regroup. If you're fighting an enemy, only throw it if you can't win. Got it?"

Everyone nodded to him, a grim look on each of their faces. Naruto leaned back, rolling his shoulders, then straightened, "Right then, the most important part is last. A couple of you don't actually know Sasuke, a few of you don't even like him. I'm not going to lie to you and say that we're on this mission to rescue a friend. We're not."

All of the gathered ninja, save Shikamaru, looked at him in alarm, but Naruto continued, "But Sasuke is a fellow shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, a comrade in arms, and we protect our own. Right now, he's headed for a very dangerous situation, one that few would ever come back from. It's our job to bring him home."

"Wow," Kiba grinned, chuckling, "it looks like you _do_ deserve that Chûnin title!"

"I may not like him that much," Shikamaru droned, shrugging lightly, "but it's the Leaf ninja way to take care of our own. Even _I_ can't screw around on this one."

"We'll succeed, Naruto-kun," Tenten said, ignoring the slight look Hinata gave her. "We can't lose."

Hinata smiled at him and made a soft hum as she nodded her head, assuring him that they would all try their hardest. Sasuke would be brought home. They would make sure of it. Smiling in return, Naruto spun around to face the large forest standing tall in front of him. In a blur, all five members of the retrieval team leapt into the foliage.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Three hours passed quickly for Naruto and his team as Kiba led them constantly onward, chasing down the four Sound shinobi who held Sasuke captive and carried him towards their village. Naruto was slowly becoming more and more anxious, though he hid the anxiety behind a mask of indifference. Orochimaru and his henchmen were not stupid enough to keep moving without setting traps.

Kiba paused a moment, sniffing at the air with a tentative nose. The other four team members stopped as well, waiting for the Inuzuka's assessment. Earlier on in the chase, Kiba had told them that the enemy was traveling strictly by land, which no doubt meant that they were not used to traveling through trees. That presented the retrieval team with a speed advantage.

If you traveled on the ground in a forest, you had to expend a great deal more energy in order to weave in and out of the trees, whereas those who jumped through the trees could move twice as fasts as those on the ground. That also meant that the retrieval team would be far more fresh and energetic than the enemy when the inevitable battle occurred.

"There was a fight nearby," Kiba told them calmly, the usual loud brusque gone. "Those Sound Ninja probably got into a skirmish with some Leaf ninja who were on their way back from a mission. No one died. Other than that, I can't tell any details about what happened."

"We're going to ignore it," Naruto said firmly. "The only other Leaf ninja out on missions are Chûnin and Jônin, so they can take care of themselves. We need keep going and rescue Sasuke. The longer we stall, the more shortcuts we take, that's all the more chance they have to cross the border into Sound territory. We'll lose them if that happens."

"Naruto-kun's right," Tenten said. "We don't need to involve ourselves with other teams. They're probably fine and our mission is still very important. We have to keep moving."

"Right," Kiba nodded, and the group was off again.

As the retrieval team continued to chase their enemy, it soon became clear that the Sound ninja were on guard from their previous skirmish. There were several instances when Hinata's Byakugan had barely caught them before they triggered a trap. Twice they had nearly fallen victim to a series of explosive notes set to trigger a perimeter mine. Three times, they had barely stopped before getting caught in dangerous wire traps.

Finally, however, as the sun reached its noon zenith, they had caught up with the enemy. Hinata's Byakugan caught sight of the four Sound ninja as they rested, minimal traps set up around them to keep them safe or warn them of enemy presence. Sitting in the center of the group was a large, sealed barrel that couldn't be holding anything but Sasuke.

As the retrieval team slowly crept closer, Naruto told them their roles in this confrontation. He would go first and take them by surprise while Hinata stabbed one through the spine with her sword. Tenten was to assassinate the gray-haired one while Shikamaru trapped the girl for information.

Just as they were about to move, however, a cocky voice called out, "Well, well, look what we have here. A couple of insects caught in a spider's web."

A web-like substance shot through the foliage, aimed to pin all five members to the tree they were crouched in. Naruto swore as the team broke apart, flinging his hand at the odd substance, "Sôkatsui!"

A thick ball of blue flames crashed into the sticky web, disintegrating it as it dried out and turned to dust. With a growl, Naruto forwent the plan and motioned for his team to attack outright. In a blur, all five members of the retrieval team leapt into the clearing, prepared to face off against the Sound Four.

The two teams glared at one another, fire burning in each of their eyes with an intensity to match the sun (or, in Naruto's case, an intensity to match the frozen sea). The enemy ninja all had something weird about them, Naruto decided. One had two heads, one had orange hair (orange!), one had six arms, and the other had reddish pink hair.

Finally, the orange haired one, who was doubtlessly the biggest and tallest person of the entire group, smirked and spoke to his team, "You guys go ahead. I'll handle these little punks."

Naruto smirked in return, reaching up and grasping Hyôrinmaru's azure hilt with his right hand, "Do you really think you by yourself can beat me, let alone all five of us?"

"All right, Jiroubou," the gray-haired one said, "you can have these guys. Make sure to catch up with us after you feed."

The fat one, identified as Jiroubou, merely nodded, slowly going through hand seals. Naruto scowled darkly and tightened his grip on the smooth cloth covered wood grasped between his fingers. He started to pull it loose when Kiba interrupted him.

"Wait, Naruto," Kiba halted him, "you guys go on ahead. I'll take care of this big guy, okay?"

As Jiroubou made to make another seal, Naruto's right hand shot out and grabbed his in mid-motion, stopping him cold. He turned to Kiba as Tenten, Shikamaru, and Hinata moved to follow the others, ignoring the squirming Sound ninja he had a firm hold of, "All right, Kiba. He's all yours. But I expect you to catch up with us, got it?"

"Heh!" Kiba scoffed. "You give me too little credit, Naruto!"

Naruto smirked teasingly, then leapt after the rest of the retrieval team as they continued to follow the Sound Four. As he reached the edge of the clearing, however, he paused and turned his head around to look at Kiba, the small smirk still present on his lips as he said, "That's Naruto-_taichô_ to you, Kiba."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Jiroubou's late," Sakon commented lightly, not really concerned with his teammate's unusually tardiness. It wasn't much to worry about unless he had been defeated by the team Konoha had sent to track them down.

"We don't really have anything to worry about," Kidomaru said cockily. "Those Genin Konoha sent to follow us don't really seem all that tough. They couldn't touch us during the invasion, what would make them able to defeat us now?"

"Don't get too confident, you stupid bastard," Tayuya swore at him. "They obviously have _some_ skill if the Leaf Village sent them after us! And did you forget? Orochimaru-sama put that blond shit in the Bingo books as Rank-A!"

"But he's the only one we have to worry about, isn't he?" Kidomaru shot back. "The rest of them are weak-ass punks who couldn't hurt a fly! Together, it should be pretty easy to take them down! Besides, Jiroubou was the weakest of us anyway."

"Well, we don't need to worry anymore. He's here," Sakon said. Sure enough, Jiroubou's heavy body landed at the far end of the clearing, unscathed and clearly victorious. Sakon scowled, "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, sorry," Jiroubou said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Those guys were stronger than I thought they'd be."

"Damn fat-ass," Tayuya muttered, the raised her voice. "Well, don't just stand there, you stupid bastard! Pick up the barrel!"

"Alright, alright," Jiroubou sighed, bending down to pick up the barrel.

The other three ninja glanced at each other, throwing a suspicious glare at the large shinobi. Jiroubou never failed to reprimand Tayuya on swearing, especially when it was directed at himself. Since Jiroubou hadn't corrected her, that could only mean…

"Hey, Jiroubou," Sakon's oily voice called, "you're so obedient today…"

"What do you mean?" Jiroubou asked confusedly.

"I mean," Sakon replied, throwing a kunai at his supposed comrade. The large boy dodged out of the way, alarmed, "that you're not Jiroubou!"

The large teen scowled, then shifted into the pony-tailed Chûnin from the Konoha team, his eyes narrowed and his lips drawn into a tight frown, "So, you got me. What ever shall I do?"

"Reign Over the Frozen Heavens!" a voice called as the sky darkened, black clouds blocking out the sun. "Hyôrinmaru!"

A fierce dragon of water, easily three times the size of a normal Suiryûdan, rushed through the trees, passing just overtop of Shikamaru's head and aiming for the three Sound ninja. Cursing, the three of them leapt out of its path, but Kidomaru wasn't quite fast enough to escape the torrent of water as the beast splashed off of the ground. It soaked into his shirt and four of his arms, instantly freezing and weighing him down. He barely managed to right himself and land on his feet, swaying as the ice threatened to pull him to the ground.

Naruto walked out of the trees, the rest of the team following behind him. Cursing their luck, Sakon and Tayuya grabbed the barrel and raced off into the foliage, leaving a slightly uneasy Kidomaru to fight off the rest of the retrieval team. Kidomaru smirked, flashing through hand seals, "That's alright! I can take down all four of you with only two arms!"

Naruto made a move to take him on, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Tenten smiled, jerking her head towards the trees. Naruto nodded, and was about to leave again when Tenten pulled on his arm, spinning him around until he was facing her. Surprised, Naruto could do nothing as Tenten leaned forward and kissed him.

Her lips were warm and soft, but had a certain edge to them that Hinata's did not. If he had to describe the difference between kissing the two girls, he would describe it as two different worlds. Hinata's kisses were soft and tender and held all the regality and passion of a princess who loved a prince. Tenten's kiss was more possessive and passionate, like a tigress claiming her mate.

Then, to Naruto's slight disappointment, it was over and Tenten leaned back, flustered and blushing. Naruto's cheeks burned as well and he could see something sparkle in Tenten's eyes, something that he had only seen in Hinata's eyes before. He opened his mouth to talk, but she shook her head and whispered, "Go."

Confused and feeling sad and guilty that he could not return her affections, he turned and followed Hinata and Shikamaru into the trees. He would talk to her later and determine what had happened in that moment. For the time being, he had a job to do, a mission to complete, and nothing was going to stop him from completing it.

Tenten allowed a small smile to grace her lips. At least, if she died in this fight, she had gotten a kiss out of him. Even if she could never have anything more than that single kiss, that one action would leave her content for as long as she let it. She squared her shoulders and drew a kunai, then turned to face her opponent.

"Come on, now, little Kunoichi," the dark-skinned, six-armed shinobi taunted, "let's play a little game!"

She scowled at him and tightened her grip on her kunai; Naruto was counting on her to defeat this freaky boy, and to do so without dying. Even if he hadn't directly said so, she knew that it was so. He was the kind of person who cared about everyone except his enemies. She smiled sadly. That was one of the things she loved about him, one of the reasons she wished she were in Hinata's shoes. For now, though, she could settle for being a reliable comrade. She would defeat this bastard.

"Heh, heh!" Kidomaru laughed, going through hand seals. "You won't last three minutes!"

Even if she died, she wouldn't lose.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Huff, huff," Sakon panted as he looked back, glaring at his enemies. The Leaf Ninja team was shrinking as more and more of its members stayed behind to fight, but so was his own team. Things looked grim; at the rate things were progressing, the Konoha team would outlast them.

He swore loudly, "Damn!"

He landed solidly on a tree branch, his movements halting as he tossed the large, cylindrical coffin towards Tayuya, who caught it deftly and with ease. He tensed as he turned around, shouting to the girl behind him, "Take the target to Orochimaru-sama! I'm going to put a stop to this nonsense once and for all!"

Tayuya nodded obediently, "Don't die, you stupid bastard."

Wordlessly, she leapt onward, the large barrel containing Uchiha Sasuke tucked safely in her arms. She might not like Sakon and the rest of their team, but even she wasn't a fool. If the rest of the team died, she'd be all alone against some odds that she rather didn't like. Even one of the elite Sound Four didn't stand a chance five-on-one.

The pony-tailed Chûnin wasn't that big of a concern for her. He looked to be the softest of the group, more the brainy type than the muscle of the team. He was pretty smart, but she could probably annihilate him if she went all out. He seemed more like the strategist that the combat specialist. Luckily for her, she could do both.

It was the blond boy that worried her, not anyone else. Even if it only lasted a second or two, he had managed to tear a hole in their barrier during the Chûnin Exams the month or so previous. Not only that, but he was rated in the Otogakure Bingo books as a Rank-A ninja nearly on par with the legendary Hatake Kakashi. And _Orochimaru_ had been the one to put him there.

Kimimaro was probably the only one besides Kabuto and Orochimaru himself who could match up against the blonde and have any chance of victory. They were simply the only people in Otogakure who had the skills and power to fight that monstrous little kid and even Kimimaro and Kabuto still didn't have a sure victory.

She shivered. After all, when that dragon had been called on earlier, it had been _so_ powerful that it even affected the _weather_. Something with that degree of elemental control was obviously far stronger than any jutsu she could use. She had just_ barely_ escaped from it the first time. There wasn't a guarantee she'd escape a second time.

She glanced back and then redoubled her pace, her legs screaming in agony as she forced them to keep working. Behind her were Naruto and Shikamaru, following at a pace that would easily outlast her own. If she didn't get a move on, if she didn't either cross the border or run into some form of help, she was _dead_.

Left to fight the second girl on the team, Sakon grimaced as the two remaining boys sped past him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop them. He only hoped that, should this girl prove to be his better, she would end his life quickly and painlessly and not cripple him or leave him alive. Orochimaru would kill them if they returned empty handed.

Considering how obsessed Orochimaru was with the Uchiha boy, failure was not an option. He needed to either defeat the girl that stood there and glared at him defiantly or die in the attempt, hopefully swiftly and painlessly. He was hoping for the latter, though he would fight his hardest, because he knew that the blonde powerhouse harbored some feelings for her. And Orochimaru wouldn't tolerate the continued living of the Sound Four if they failed this mission.

He'd kill all four of them, that's precisely what he'd do. He wouldn't kill them quickly, either. He would drag it out for as long as he could, watch as they squirmed and begged for release, then have Kabuto heal them up again only to torture them to death's door once more. That was the Snake Sennin's style. If you were such a failure and at the same time extremely lucky, then he'd kill you on the spot.

"Well," Sakon drawled calmly, a smirk curling on his lips. He would fight to the end, "let's get this show on the road, eh?"

Hinata merely drew her sword, brandishing it in front of her body as she called out, "Hajike, Tobiume."

o.0.O.O.0.o —

Tenten panted, her back pressed up against the large trunk of a tall, thick tree as she waited for her opponent to make his next move. Her chest heaved and her breasts bounced as she sucked in air as if it were becoming scarce, her eyes flickering around her. Somehow, he had managed to break free of the ice that had encircled his arms and was currently using his limb advantage effectively.

She had tried to take him out quickly in the beginning so that she could go on and help the others, but her efforts had been for not. Shortly after freeing himself of the ice, Kidomaru had disappeared into the foliage and started using sniper tactics to try to kill her. He too had been mostly unsuccessful and she only had a few scratches.

"Heh, heh, you're better than I gave you credit for," Kidomaru chuckled darkly, his voice echoing over the small clearing Tenten stood in. "You've lasted ten minutes fifty-two seconds so far and, despite my best efforts, are, for the most part, unwounded."

There was a metallic ping as Tenten deflected a few of the six-armed ninja's custom kunai knives with some of her own shuriken. The four shuriken became embedded in several trees, while the five golden kunai sank into the ground with a soft thump, rendered useless by the girl's skill.

That was how the majority of the battle had been going. Every time Kidomaru threw kunai at her, she would deflect it with one of her own weapons. Every time Kidomaru shot his strange webbing at her, she would slice it to bits with her skillful weapons throws. Since her back was to such a thick and ancient tree, the majority of his attacks were within her range of sight.

Neither of them could get an attack in on the other and neither could make any dangerous or deadly, or even debilitating, blows on their opponent. In fact, were it not for how tired Tenten was and how much energy she had to expend to defend herself, the battle would be an obvious and indecisive stalemate.

If she were to be blunt with herself, though, Tenten knew she had no hope of winning. Her enemy was a highly skilled ninja with far more field experience than her and a great deal more stamina. She couldn't even tell where her opponent was and yet he could see her clearly enough to aim with deadly accuracy.

"I need help," Tenten whispered, not really expecting someone to answer. "Please, I need help!"

"_Foolish little girl,"_ a voice answered her, strong and feminine, _"you have needed help for far too long, yet you wait till now to admit it?"_

In an instant, the forest around Tenten melted away into a beautiful blue sky with the sun shining on her neck and a delicate breeze wafting against her skin, warm and soothing on her cuts and gashes. She felt a smile curl her lips and let out a soft sigh, relaxing in the gentle atmosphere around her.

Until she looked down, that is, and found that she was standing not on land and grass, or even sand, but on a cloud that hovered over a giant ocean that stretched as far as she could see. She let out a terrified shriek and waited to fall plummeting into the icy water below her, but nothing happened. She was still standing on the cloud.

"Did you really think you would fall in this place?" the voice from before asked.

Tenten whirled around, coming face to face with a black, serpentine dragon with vibrant pink eyes. The dragon swirled around her, coiling its large body around Tenten's own body and leaning back once it was eye level with her, "You are in command of this place. It is shaped purely by your soul, and so long as your soul is stable, you can stand on the clouds and fly through the air."

"Who," Tenten stammered nervously, her voice quiet, "who are you?"

"I am your fighting spirit given physical form," the dragon said, talking even though its lips and mouth remained motionless. "I am your power, your unique ability, and I shall always be a part of you, no matter what. I am Sôunga, the Dragon of the Wind, and I am at your service. Whatever you desire, I shall do my best to grant it."

"How," Tenten started, unsure to ask her question, "how do I…?"

"As long as you can hear my name, you shall know," Sôunga answered cryptically. "Now, it is time…"

"…to die!" Kidomaru's voice called loudly, snapping Tenten's eyes open (who wasn't even aware that she'd closed them).

With a diagonal flick of her wrist, Tenten swung the sword gripped in her right hand, words tumbling out of her mouth that she would never forget, "Ama ni Jôshôshiro, Sôunga!" (Ascend into Heaven, Frost Cloud Fang)

A thick blade of wind, nearly a third as tall as the trees around her, leapt from the arc her swing had made at an amazing speed and sliced clean through Kidomaru's arrow, then through the trees in front of her, and, finally, based on the agonized cry she heard, it cut through Kidomaru as well.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Tenten grinned and looked down at her new sword. The curve of the katana was delicate and majestic and the polished steel was clean and firm. The hand guard was a simple circle made of pure gold and the hilt was simple black wood with three flat golden studs to hold the blade in place and no cloth. At the bottom, where the cap would normally be, was a three-toed dragon's claw that held a beautiful amethyst gem.

Tenten's grin widened into a smile, "Beautiful, Sôunga."

In a blur, Tenten leapt off towards her friends.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto's lips curled into a frown as he walked over the smooth but hard stone beneath his feet, his blue eyes bright with determination and excitement. He recognized the scenery from a history book he had read once about the Hokage, from the Shodai all the way to the Yondaime. This was the Valley of the End, where the Shodai Hokage had battled and beaten Uchiha Madara.

For a moment, Naruto worried about the comrades he had left behind on this mission just so he could get this far. He hoped that all of them made it out of this tragedy alive, especially Lee, who was fighting Kimimaro, and Shikamaru, who was taking on Tayuya. He wasn't too worried about Hinata and Tenten. They could take care of themselves well enough to survive their opponents.

Naruto looked up and thought, for a moment, about the irony of the situation. They were at the Valley of the End, where a Hokage had fought an Uchiha. Now, he stood atop the Shodai's head and was the son of a Hokage, and Sasuke stood atop Madara's head and was a scion of the mighty Uchiha clan. He had to fight down a hollow laugh at how ironic that seemed.

Taking a few more steps forward, Naruto gathered air into his lungs and yelled, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke didn't move for a moment, then slowly turned around, locking his cool, coal black eyes onto Naruto's dark clad form. His gaze was dispassionate, and held none of the usual fire that made him Naruto's rival, "Naruto."

Sasuke turned back around, "Go back home, Naruto."

"I'm not leaving this place without you, Sasuke," Naruto said coldly, determination in his voice. "You're coming back even if I have to drag you there myself!"

"I'm leaving," Sasuke said firmly, his tone icy. "I'm leaving to get more power! Power enough to force the truth from Itachi! Power enough that he doesn't have to lie anymore!"

"Lies? Itachi?" Naruto asked confusedly. "Sasuke, did he—?"

"No!" Sasuke shouted angrily, eyes bleeding into red. "I don't care what he told you! It's all lies! There's no way the Uchiha clan would do something like that! No way my father would do something so horrible! No way—!"

His voice softened and he suddenly sounded like a scared child, "No way my mother could do something like that."

He flung a kunai at Naruto, shouting, "The Uchiha clan was honorable! There's no possible reason why they would plan to revolt! I've had enough of Itachi's lies!"

Naruto deflected the kunai with his sword, his lips curling into a scowl as he leapt onto the edge of the waterfall, dashing across it and towards Sasuke, knowing that he could not reason with his friend. Sasuke leapt off Madara's statue, mirroring Naruto's movements as he drew his own blade from its sheath.

They clashed at the dead center of the waterfall, sparks flying off their swords and the blades wobbling and twitching as the two of them fought for dominance. Sasuke's ninja-to was shorter than Naruto's katana, but its size didn't make it any weaker. It held its ground against the larger sword and didn't bend or chip.

Sasuke smirked, eyes glinting dangerously, "You know, Naruto, we never did get to have our match."

Naruto's eyes widened, then an excited grin crept over his lips as he said, "You're right."

His grin widened as he brought his left hand up and started doing hand seals, repeating Haku's words, "But now I have two advantages…"

Sasuke's eyes went wide as Naruto continued, "The first is that I've occupied your hand, thus preventing you from using jutsu…The second…"

"…is the water around us," Sasuke finished, looking around himself as needles of water formed a small cage around him. He swore loudly, already thinking of his escape.

"Sensatsu Suishou!" Naruto cried, the needles converging on the spot Sasuke had occupied a moment before. Naruto allowed his grin to widen as Sasuke landed lightly a few meters away, standing atop the water. Naruto could make out the shadow of a grin on his face and couldn't help the excitement that flooded him.

Naruto dashed forward, already flipping through more hand seals as Sasuke backed up, doing seals of his own. The water around him churned as Sasuke took a deep breath, his mouth shut tightly. Simultaneously, the unleashed the full power of their attacks. Naruto called out, "Suiton: Suiryûdan no Jutsu!"

A dragon of water twisted its way out of the river, swirling and twisting as its form continued to solidify into a giant beast made completely of the abundant liquid. It bared fangs made of water as its unnatural yellow eyes glowed amongst the blue. With a silent but monstrous roar, it gushed forth.

"Katon: Karyuu Endan no Jutsu!"

As his lungs burned and the chakra within them quickly became fire, Sasuke put his fingers to his lips and blew out as hard as he could. A mass of fire leapt from past his lips, scorching the air in front of him as it rushed forward, engulfing the air in the smell of flames. It sizzled as it collided with Naruto's giant beast of water, turning the great dragon into steam as the water put out the rest of the flame.

Sasuke felt a grin tug at his lips and couldn't help but notice just how much _fun_ it was to have such a challenge as the boy in front of him. No one had pushed him to his limits in such a way before, not even Itachi. Now, after knowing that they stood on nearly equal ground for almost two months, they would truly see which of them was better.

Naruto was in front of Sasuke again, swinging his sword down with one hand. Sasuke matched his attack with a horizontal slash at eye level, drawing their blades into another inverted tug-o-war. Both swords jiggled as they each tried to get the upper hand, to beat their opponent in a contest of brute strength.

Pulling away, both struck a second time, Naruto upwards diagonally and Sasuke diagonally downwards. Another direct clash occurred, but both knew by now that neither outclassed the other in pure strength, so they pulled away again, then swung in the direction opposite of their previous strike.

They clashed several more times, each blow more thunderous and quicker than the last, before they both admitted that their skill with a blade was about equal. That automatically meant they were about equal in speed, but neither would except that as the truth without direct proof. Naruto thought he had the upper hand in speed.

He disappeared with almost no noise and reappeared behind Sasuke, sword poised to strike. From behind, he missed the small smirk on Sasuke's face before the Uchiha vanished as well, solidifying once more behind Naruto, his sword in mid-stab. Twisting around, Naruto held Hyôrinmaru above his head until it was parallel with his ears, watching Sasuke's sword grind against the blade.

Naruto arched an eyebrow, "Shunpô?"

Sasuke's eyebrow arched as well, "Could it be anything else?"

Jumping back from one another, Sasuke went through a familiar set of hand seals while Naruto prepared his defense. As Sasuke called out the name of his offensive technique, a skill that Naruto not only knew but had in his own arsenal, Naruto called out the name of his defensive jutsu.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Sasuke inhaled sharply, the air in his lungs converting itself into fire chakra, then put his fingers to his lips and blew out as hard as he could. A large ball of fire, easily three times as big as the one he had used on Kakashi months ago during the bell test, barreled forward toward the seemingly defenseless blond. Sasuke knew better.

"Suiton: Suijinheki!"

A large, three meter tall wall of thick water rose up, encircling Naruto from all around. As the fireball slowly sputtered and died against his unnecessarily strong defense, Naruto was already going through more hand seals and planning an offensive move Itachi had taught him during the return trip from Yuki no Kuni.

As the wall of water collapsed, Naruto called out the name of his attack, "Suiton: Suigadan no Jutsu!"

Four, drill-like fangs of water launched themselves at Sasuke from all sides, quickly closing in on him. Four Shuriken leapt to him from Naruto's hands. Sasuke scoffed as he realized that he only had one option if he wanted to prevent Naruto from driving him into a corner. With a flick of his wrist, the four water fangs evaporated into steam and the shuriken fell into the river as melted slag.

Sasuke held his flaming blade up, smirking, "How about we up the ante?"

Naruto grinned, "Thought you'd never ask."

Jumping backward, Naruto swung his sword and called out its name, "Hyôrinmaru!"

A giant dragon bigger than any Sasuke had ever seen from any technique launched itself towards him, intent on pushing him down beneath the water. Sasuke leapt out of the way, watching as it crashed into the water and rumbled the cliff with its force. Then, seconds later, the water began to freeze all along the river until only a small space in front of the Shodai's statue remained liquid.

Sasuke chuckled darkly, then threw his head back and laughed. This was a challenge. Even his could not match that raw power with just his sword and his will. Orochimaru may have been able to, but he was far above Sasuke's level. And if Sasuke couldn't defeat Naruto under his own power…he just needed to use someone else's.

He dropped his guard and watched the look of disgust cross Naruto's face as the Cursed Mark flooded him with power, drawing small black blemishes across his pale skin. He knew, though, that even level one would not be a match for Naruto. No, he needed much more power. Soon, he could feel the might of level two tingle over his skin.

There was a ripping sound as Sasuke's shirt tore and two misshapen wings sprouted from his back. His skin became dark and a black cross stretched over his nose like and ugly scar. His sclera turned black but his Sharingan remained its malevolent red. Finally, his hair lengthened to match the statue beneath his feet and became bleach white.

He brandished his flaming sword, an excited grin on his face. Naruto only seemed disappointed, not at his power or his strength, but at Sasuke himself, as though the Uchiha had lowered himself to a level Naruto had thought him above. Then, Naruto said that one word, the one word that Sasuke had forgotten all about, "Bankai."

The transformation occurred just as Sasuke remembered it would — the wings, the tail, the gauntlets, the greaves, even the flowers and the sky darkening. Whatever part of the river had remained unfrozen was now frozen, and even the Shodai's statue was blanketed in the never-ending plain of ice.

The attack came before he could catch it, at speeds he could only dream of at his current level, and then he barely managed to raise his sword in time. Naruto's eyes were frigid — colder than Sasuke had ever seen them — and he suddenly understood why Naruto had been promoted and apprenticed to Jiraiya for a while.

The kick was even faster and knocked Sasuke right into Madara's statue, breaking the thick layer of ice that had crept over it. Even with the Level Two Cursed Mark, Sasuke felt weak and powerless. There was a heavy pressure in the air, one that he'd never felt before, and it made it hard for him to breathe.

Slowly, like an infant crawling desperately towards his parents during a thunderstorm, Sasuke stood again. It felt like ages had passed instead of a few short minutes and he stumbled once or twice before flapping his awkward wings and flying until he was level with Naruto. The blonde seemed unsurprised and merely raised his sword.

Sasuke brandished his sword as well, trying to recompose himself and lose after having fought his hardest. He waited for his blond opponent to rush him, but the boy merely stood there, floating in midair, his sword pointing towards Sasuke. Finally, however, he spoke, but his words were of no comfort to the Uchiha, "Sennen Hyôrô."

Before he could do anything, several pillars of ice rose up around him like a cage, trapping him within their grasp. Looking up, Sasuke knew he'd never make it in time to escape from his opponent's attack and accepted his defeat. He sheathed his sword and bowed his head, then waited for the inevitable.

As soon as Naruto twisted his sword, the pillars rushed in and converged upon Sasuke, trapping him in an inescapable cage of unnatural ice. There were no screams, no sounds of pain, and no feel of death. The blond slowly hovered forward, raised his sword, then slashed into the thick cage.

It shattered into thousands of tiny pieces as Sasuke was thrown backwards, his skin its normal pale color and his sclera their normal white. He cried out in pain as he collided with the rock of Madara's feet, hitting so hard that the cliff caved slightly and conformed to his body, holding him to the rock wall firmly.

Naruto gently floated down, his icy additions evaporating as he slowly landed on the water, walking across it as though it were dry land. Sasuke's heaving breathes were heavy and pain filled, but Naruto couldn't figure out why. He hadn't hit Sasuke _that_ hard, had he? It hadn't been his intention to wound Sasuke, merely defeat him with an overwhelming display of power.

As Naruto drew closer, however, there was a flash of light behind him and he spun around gripping his sword and scowling. He kept his surprise in check as a pair of shoji doors opened in midair, only to reveal another pair of similar doors that opened as well, revealing a traditional Japanese dwelling. A black butterfly fluttered out, followed by a tall old man who was hunched over, had a head that was shaved bald and covered with scars, and a beard that reached his knees and was bound by black cord.

The old man opened his eyes and Naruto suddenly found it impossible to stand and very difficult to breathe. He gasped as he fell to his knees, shivering and clutching at his throat and chest. He felt terror unlike any he had ever imagined, as if there was a god holding a knife to his throat, poised to slit it at any second.

There were two deep growls that Naruto heard, one that he recognized as Hyôrinmaru (who he could also tell was coiled around him protectively and snarling at the old man) and one that could only be the Fox. Despite their efforts, however, Naruto could not shake off the elderly man's dark intent.

"Yam—Yamamoto-sama," Sasuke's voice gasped, and the old man's eyes left Naruto. He could breathe again as the aged warrior turned his gaze to Sasuke.

Slowly, deliberately, the man identified as Yamamoto walked toward Sasuke, his eyes stern and harsh. Still, Sasuke didn't seem to be suffering as Naruto had, so the blonde boy figured that Yamamoto's stern glare was nothing more than that. After a moment, he spoke up, "When you called out to me asking for help, for a way to clinch victory and ascend to greatness with justice as your cause, I answered your plea."

Sasuke seemed to know where this was going, "Ya-Yamamoto-sama…!"

"I gave you the power you sought, let you borrow my power, until you were strong enough to awaken your own," Yamamoto continued, his voice calm but still just as stern. "The time has come for you to search within yourself and find your true power, just as your friend over there found his, and…"

Yamamoto reached down and pulled Sasuke's sword from its sheath. Naruto watched with wide eyes as the ninja-to slowly morphed into a full-length katana with a black scabbard. A brown substance wrapped over it, transforming into a gnarled cane. Yamamoto continued, "…it is time I reclaimed my own sword."

Without another word, Yamamoto turned around and slowly walked back toward the gateway made of shoji doors. He paused, and turned back to Naruto, "Your father, boy, he would be very proud of you."

Naruto's eyes widened for a second, then he glanced at Sasuke for a second, "But…why…?"

Yamamoto had turned back towards the doors and, besides the fact that he hadn't walked into them yet, there seemed to be no indication that he would answer the blond. Finally, after a long pause and a thick silence, he said quietly, "It was such a small seed…I wanted to see it grow."

Then, in a flash of light, Yamamoto disappeared from the world and Sasuke suddenly sobbed. Alarmed, Naruto turned around and walked toward the Uchiha, who pounded his fist against the thick rock. Naruto asked, "What's wrong?"

"I've been such a fool!" Sasuke suddenly cried, tears pouring down his cheeks. "I-I…H-he was crying, that night…I ig-ignored that in favor of my own hatred! H-He was crying because he had to choose between the clan and the village!"

Sasuke sobbed again, "And he chose the village!"

The unspoken, _"Just like I should've,"_ hung in the air, but Naruto didn't voice it and neither did Sasuke. Lifting his head, tears streaming down his cheeks, Sasuke's next words were nearly begging, "Please, Naruto, take me home!"

Smiling sadly, Naruto hefted Sasuke onto his shoulders and steadily walked over to the bank of the small lake. He almost slipped and fell in a few times, after all, walking on water with someone slung over your shoulders isn't the same as doing it on land.

As soon as Naruto's foot touched dry earth, the sky opened up, and down came the rain.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto gently closed the door behind him, satisfied when it clicked shut. His hair was soaked and clung to his head and the sides of his face, but still managed to stay messy and untamed. His clothes were dry, merely because Tsunade had forbidden him to come into her office with wet clothes.

Sasuke was resting in the hospital, asleep and no doubt recovering from the whole ordeal. There was a group of ANBU, a full squad if he remembered correctly, guarding him to prevent another catastrophe from happening. Jiraiya was supposed to seal up the Cursed Mark as soon as he got back in.

For the most part, the retrieval team had returned without any significant injury. Kiba had come in with a few broken bones and Shikamaru had walked in with a broken finger, but other than that, the worst injuries were minor scratches. The thing that had thrown Naruto for a loop was the enemy they had managed to capture.

According to what he had been told, Tenten, Lee, and Gaara (who had greeted Naruto and was given a warm hug in return) had fought and defeated Kimimaro. Somehow, they had also managed to bring him back alive, though he was quickly dying. After some major elective surgery, he had been cured and was recovering in a hospital bed. ANBU were on constant watch with him, too.

Aside from that, the mission had gone pretty much as it was supposed to. Sasuke had been brought back, the enemy ninja who had kidnapped him or threatened him, namely, Sakon, Ukon, Tayuya, Kidomaru, and Jiroubou, were dead, and everyone had come back alive and mostly unharmed. It had been marked down as a success in their records.

One of the biggest surprises Naruto had gotten on the mission, beyond meeting Yamamoto and the events therein, was meeting Kakashi on the way back home. His sensei had been relieved to find that he and Sasuke were fine and mostly unharmed, though he was slightly wary of the empty sheath on Sasuke's back.

Kakashi had asked some uncomfortable question, such as how Naruto had found out about his heritage and whether or not it was true. Naruto had been put on the spot and could do nothing more or less than tell the truth, the _entire_ truth, to Kakashi. That made Kakashi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Naruto, and Sasuke as the only people who knew what Itachi had done.

Itachi, surprisingly, had met them at the gates and told them the good news about the rest of the team. Kiba was the most severely injured of the entire group, and all he had was a broken right arm, a dislocated shoulder, and a few fractures in his left hand. Shikamaru was the next worse of with a single broken finger and a bruised ego. Naruto had, of course, joked about how Shikamaru always had to fight girls.

Naruto had barely stepped foot outside the hospital, though, when, like a predator pouncing on his prey, an ANBU had informed him that Tsunade wanted his oral report immediately. When Naruto had huffed and complained about the abruptness of the demand, the ANBU had cryptically said that the report wasn't the only reason Naruto was being summoned.

And, as he walked into the Hokage's office, he knew that the ANBU hadn't been lying. Tsunade never had that look on her face unless she was dealing with something really serious and would rather not have to. He saluted her, grinning cheekily as she waved his gesture off with a sigh and a flick of her wrist. He stood at ease and waited for her to start.

"Before you give me your report," Tsunade said, sounding grave. The door squeaked but neither paid it any attention, "I have something I need to discuss with you."

Naruto did not like that tone, even though she continued, "As a result of recent events and intelligence reports, Jiraiya and I have come to the conclusion that it is not safe here in Konoha right now. Given what Itachi has told us, Akatsuki will not likely make a move until three years from now, which gives us some time. Unfortunately, the only ones qualified to train you to face them are me and Jiraiya and Jiraiya can't stay here."

Taking in a deep breath, she said, "Naruto, effective by the end of the week, you will leave with Jiraiya for a period of about two and a half years, wherein you shall be trained to fight on the level of the S-Class ninja that comprise the Akatsuki. You will have limited contact with Konoha during that time and are forbidden from setting foot inside these walls until those two and a half years are up."

Knees weak, Naruto fell back into the chair sitting behind him, the thud of his weight on the cushions blocking out the pitiful whine that bubbled out of his throat. Two and a half years, alone with Jiraiya and away from his friends, away from Hinata, who he had just started to fall in love with?

Why him? Why now? Why couldn't he be free to do as he wished, to stay in Konoha, stay with his friends and those he cherished above all else? Hadn't he done enough, proven that he was loyal to Konoha, sacrificed of himself? Didn't he deserve to be a little selfish considering all that he had done?

Naruto wanted to speak, to rage at the world and declare as loudly as he could that it _just wasn't fair_. He wanted to scream at the injustice of it all, that he had to leave his home and the people in it for nearly three years and had to wait that long to come back, that he couldn't take the time to explore the things that had recently been handed to him. His mouth, however, refused to listen to him and remained firmly shut.

"Listen, Naruto," Tsunade said quietly, "I know this is a big bombshell to drop on you, but I don't have any other options. If I could, I would promote you to Jounin in an instant and give you a team to keep you rooted, but I just don't have that luxury."

"But…" Naruto started. "Why?"

"The demon sealed into your belly…the Akatsuki want it," she said. "They'll do anything to have it, up to and including destroy this very village. You have to be strong enough when they come for you, or else everything you care for will vanish…likely in an instant. As Jiraiya has a spy network to maintain and I'm Hokage…it's much easier to send you off with him than try and train you around my schedule — which is often booked as it is."

"So I have to leave in order to keep everyone safe," Naruto finished softly.

Tsunade sighed, "This is a lot to take in, I know. Go home and rest. You can give your report in a few days."

Standing, Naruto bowed, "Hai."

Then, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

_**Read the Author's Notes!:**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach**

**Sasuke **_**will**_** develop a new zanpakuto. Or rather, the zanpakuto he had will awaken its true self. Before, it didn't have the strength to become Sasuke's weapon. Now, after having drawn strength from Yamamoto's sword, it does (Yes, people can use others' zanpakuto. Toussen has proven this in Bleach canon). The only thing I'll tell you about it is that its name is going to be Murakumo and it's going to be a lightning elemental sword. **

_**Sairin… (The Second Advent)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	14. Chapter VII: B Side

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Seven: The Real Folk Blues**

** — o.0.O.O.0.o — **

A dark figure, clothed in the blackest of blacks, dashed across the grounds at amazing speeds, his sandals silent as they clapped against the ground noiselessly. Pale armor guarded his forearms and torso, dark gloves reaching up from his fingertips to the tops of his biceps. A snarling white dragon mask with blue markings hid his face from view, his spiky blonde hair sweeping back in the wind as he crossed the short wooden bridge without making a sound.

"_We're leaving for a couple years, brat, no more than two and a half," the white-haired Jiraiya said seriously. "I've got to train you up so that you can take on the Akatsuki. They're a bunch of S-ranked criminals. Right now, you don't stand a chance in Hell."_

_Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair, "When are we leaving?"_

"_Tomorrow," Jiraiya replied, "at the crack of dawn. I would have us leave tonight, but Tsunade-hime wants to see you first. You'd better get going."_

The guards standing at the front of the gate only saw a black streak at first, then it solidified into a person and, before they could so much as yelp, that person was upon them. The original slammed up against one guard with the force of a freight train, knocking the wind out of the samurai sentinel, while a doppelganger came out of nowhere and tackled the second one.

The person — it was a boy with blond hair who couldn't be more than thirteen or fourteen — unsheathed the sword on his back in a flash, cold blue eyes gleaming from behind the dragon mask. The guard gasped and tried to force air into his lungs, but couldn't manage. His ribs were probably broken; he was doomed and there was nothing to be done, not even scream out a warning.

"_I know you're leaving tomorrow, Naruto-kun," Tsunade said, "so I figured I'd get this out of the way now. It'll be a lot easier for you to work together to accomplish this mission, rather than have you simply training with Jiraiya as they try to guard you and complete the directive simultaneously."_

_Naruto arched an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, Baa-chan?"_

_Tsunade smirked, reaching under her desk and grabbing an object. She set whatever it was on her desk, the blasted smirk never leaving her lips. When she removed her hand, however, and the object in question was revealed to him in all its glory, he understood why she was smirking. Only an idiot or the most uneducated slob would fail to recognize it for what it was._

_Sitting innocently on Tsunade's desk was a pale, snarling mask shaped into a dragon's head, though the muzzle was much shorter. It was an ANBU mask._

The first boy threw the guard against the pale walls of the gate, poising his sword with deadly steadiness. With a silent battle cry, he thrust the blade into the man's gut, watching as his victim's face filled with pain and horror as he wheezed breathlessly. Blood splattered over his hands, gushing from the wound as tempered steel pinned his enemy to the wall; he was beyond saving, now. Only a medic of Tsunade's caliber could fix such a wound.

Just to make sure, however, he twisted the sharp steel of his sword clockwise, like turning a brutal key in a delicate, rusted lock. To further complicate the wound, he jerked his blade to the left, opening it in another direction entirely. More blood splattered out of the man and onto his fingers, soaking the cloth and ray-skin of Hyôrinmaru's hilt. There. An injury opened in so many directions would be impossible to stitch closed. The guard was as good as dead.

"_Wait, wait, _wait_," Naruto held his hands up, trying to understand what he had just been told, "I've only just joined and I'm already a captain?"_

"_Under normal procedure, you wouldn't be," Itachi said, his weasel mask attached (somehow) to the bottom left hem of his chest armor. "However, none of us on this team believe we would be good captain material. Yuugao-san is a close-range fighter and believes she would not be able to give orders during battle. I simply do not want the position and Hawk (who refuses to share his real name) said that he isn't 'leader material'."_

"_So, naturally, I got stuck being captain," Naruto sighed exasperatedly._

"_That's about the size of it," Itachi suddenly smirked, "Taichô."_

_Naruto simply flipped him the bird._

The second guard gurgled his last breath, rasping wetly as he struggled to get air to his lungs. Blood trickled out of the corners of his mouth, dribbling down his chin and onto his expensive kimono. His knees gave out and his feet slipped, jerking him downwards. The sword protruding from his chest, however, made it difficult for him to do much than slide a few inches as his pierced heart slowed to a stop.

As his shadow clone disappeared with a soft pop and a thin cloud of smoke, the original withdrew his sword and slashed at air, flicking the blood off of the silver blade. He frowned beneath the porcelain, glaring at the red staining the hilt, wishing that it was made of something that didn't soak up the blood, like metal or diamond. He would have to see about replacing the ray-skin and cloth with sapphire reinforced by seals.

Stabbing his sword into the ground, he made a hand seal and two Bunshin popped to life, scrambling to do his silent bidding. Each one grabbed one of the guards and dragged them across the bridge, off into the forest. From their, Itachi would use his raven contract to dispose of the corpses.

Peering over the past the open gate, Naruto looked into the sprawling compound that was hidden behind the tall, all encompassing fence. He needed to do this cleanly, one that spoke of ninja involvement and would make Orochimaru slightly nervous about being caught. A simple fire to destroy the wooden abodes within would be too vague and seem more like an accident.

Blue eyes swept over the grounds, taking in the placements of the guards and watchmen. He needed to make sure there was no sign of struggle. This needed to look like a massacre done by an elite ninja, an S-rank foe, not the A-rank Chûnin ANBU peering into the darkness, guided only be the moon's light. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something that could foil his plans.

A watchdog. A mongrel, but it was a watchdog nonetheless. It was lying near the farthest house (which wasn't as far as it sounded), supposedly asleep. If it caught wind of him, the entire thing would be ruined and he'd have to pull off a powerful, area-effective jutsu. That dog had to go. Besides, with its thin, stringy body, its visible ribs, and the gaunt, sunken eyes, he was probably putting it out of its misery. It was obviously being starved.

Naruto mentally went over the mission assignment once again: Assassinate Echigoya Rokube — The merchant, Echigoya Rokube, has been discovered dealing weapons and other illegal objects and substances to the Hidden Sound village. He and his partners must be eliminated and made example of. S-rank mission.

Frowning, Naruto turned his attention back to the dog and pulled a kunai out of his holster. Taking careful aim at the sleeping beast, he knew that he'd only have one shot at this. A flick of his wrist sent the weighted weapon flying through the air, whistling lowly. With a soft thud, and a small splash of blood, it buried itself in the mongrel's skull, right between the eyes. It was dead instantly and painlessly.

With the beast taken care of, Naruto made hand seals and four more Bunshin popped into existence next to him. They all nodded, two of them taking off towards the farthest building, one taking the middle building, and the other taking the building on the far right. They all moved silently and stealthily, avoiding other guards.

Unsheathing his sword, Naruto leapt onto the roof of the middle building and pulled out two shuriken with his left hand. He threw them, watching as they each sank into the body of another guard. The first one sliced through one guard's neck from the back, severing his spinal cord and killing him almost instantly with a splash of blood. The second embedded into the forehead of the other guard, whose eyes glazed over as he fell backwards.

Naruto cursed as a third guard came rushing out of the building, his lantern swinging about in his hand as he frantically tried to figure out what was going on and why his comrades were dead. Naruto pulled out a kunai and chucked it with all of his strength, watching as it soared through the night air and sliced clean through the third man's neck — in the front and out the back. He collapsed backwards in a violent spray of blood, clutching his neck as he died.

With the three guards taken care of, Naruto leapt onto the roof of the third building, running silently over the tiles. No one noticed him, leaving him a clear cut path towards his target. He passed by several more guards, making sure he was unseen as he traveled over the rooftops. As he reached the back of the lengthy building, he saw a sort of walkway stretching out from it.

A cold, satisfied grin swept over his lips, his eyes sweeping right over the walkway and to the other end of it. There, hidden away behind the building and protected by the large walls that enclosed the entire compound, was a small, comfortable shack big enough for only one man to live in. There was a light on that shone through shoji doors and tobacco smoke filtered out of the window.

As he put one foot forward, intent on barging into Echigoya's little hut, the memories of his Kage Bunshin flooded his mind.

_His blade sank into the unprepared man's chest, pinning him against the wall stomach first. Twisting the samurai's arm behind his back, he dug his elbow between his victim's shoulder blades. His other hand crept up, jerking the man's jaw sharply. With a loud crack, the previously asleep bodyguard's neck snapped and broke. The man slumped, dead._

_The man sitting on the floor was ignorant of the ninja creeping up behind him, blade gleaming in the candlelight. He seemed to be meditating as he sat on his cushion with his hands folded in his lap, murmuring some weird incantation. The blond boy walking up behind him, however, was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. With a swing of his sword, the chanting stopped and blood gushed out, flooding the room with crimson and splattering against the white shoji door. Naruto glanced down at the sword lying near the dead man's feet. This was not a civilian, so the blonde could kill him._

_The woman walked past, shivering lightly as she moved towards the pot of boiling water. With a content sigh, she poured the water into a cup and started to make tea to alleviate the cold, not noticing the shadowy figure leaping through the door she'd left open. Her ceramic cup would fall to the floor later and shatter when she walked back to her room and glimpsed through an open door, only to see a body and an ocean of blood._

_He tackled the unprepared man to the floor from behind, forcing the balding man to the wooden boards beneath them. His knees pressed painfully into the man's back, driving all air from the man's lungs. While his target was stunned, he reached down and grasped at two places: the top of the man's skull and the far side of his jaw. With a twist and a sickening crunch, the aging samurai knew no more._

_He was pressed up against the wall, waiting for his next target to pass by. He could hear the man humming, as well as his heavy, uncoordinated footsteps. The man was either drunk or deliriously happy; or perhaps some combination of the two. As soon as his foe stepped close enough, though, he reached around and pulled him to the wall, using the momentum of the roll to slice cleanly through his throat. With a wet gurgle, he died._

Several other memories flitted through Naruto's head, but he blocked them out. The first five told him that there weren't any other ninja around, which made his mission a lot easier. With a grim smile, he looked over the edge of the tiles and saw a guard below him, holding a lantern as he dutifully protected his boss.

Silently, Naruto hopped off the roof and fell toward the ground, sword in hand. The man walking around below was unprepared for him as tempered steel slashed at him, the momentum of Naruto's fall adding force to his weapon. The blade started at the man's skull, cutting downwards through his neck, then his chest, and finally, his groin. A fountain of blood erupted from the slice as the body fell in two separate directions, cut in half down the middle.

Naruto threw a kunai at the second guard, who had stood there and gaped at the ninja that had appeared from nowhere. The knife flew quicker than the man could react and, by consequence, sunk into his throat, severing his vocal cords. Wheezing as he gasped for air, the man clutched at his neck as blood gushed out and over his chest, staining his clothes. He fell backwards and, with a final gurgle, died.

Pulling the meanest posture he could manage, Naruto turned and walked towards the hut, throwing the doors open in a show of strength. The man inside seemed not to notice as a shinobi in bloodstained black and cream garb walked up behind him. Kneeling down, Naruto clapped his hand over the man's mouth.

That seemed to get Rokube's attention. Echigoya reached up and desperately tried to ply the blonde's fingers from his mouth, but to no avail. Naruto slowly stood up, dragging Echigoya to his feet as well. The man struggled in his grasp, flailing his arms about in vain hope that he might force his captor to release him. Naruto leaned forward.

"Echigoya Rokube," he whispered into the man's ear, his voice menacing and cold, "you have been caught illegally dealing weapons and other important stuffs to the enemy country of Hidden Sound. For this crime, you have been sentenced to death."

Naruto reversed his grip on his sword so that the point was poking Echigoya in the chest. Jerking his arm back, the sword sunk through flesh and bone, blood gushing out and splattering the floor, walls, and ceiling, soaking his white kimono as the blade pierced the man's heart and came out his back a few inches from Naruto's left hip. A few seconds later, Echigoya went limp.

Pulling his sword free, Naruto swiped at air, flicking the blood off of his blade and extinguishing the candles simultaneously. Reaching up, he sheathed the sword on his back once more and wrote a single word on the wall in Echigoya's blood.

With a final glare at the corpse now cooling on the ground, the dragon-masked ninja walked backwards into the shadows and disappeared into the darkness, the word 'Traitor' gleaming on the wall in the moonlight.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto hung off the cliff, waiting for the guard to walk by. He wasn't using charka, except in his fingers to keep from falling, so even the sharpest of senses would be unable to find him in the pitch darkness. Then, he heard it; the soft whistle of a bored watchman as he walked past, performing his rounds.

'_Kimura Izaemon,'_ Naruto thought to himself, _'has been implicated as one of Echigoya's accomplices in the man's letters. His deeds and actions are a danger to the Land of Fire. He must atone with is life. That's what the mission statistics said. Itachi is taking care of another guy, another of Echigoya's accomplices, and Yuugao and Hawk are busy tracking down a few of the middlemen. That leaves me to take down Kimura.'_

The moment his ears caught the sound of the man's feet right in front of him, Naruto flung himself up, flipping over so that he collided with his target feet first, knocking them both to the dirt and the air out of the guard's lungs. Before the man could so much as gasp, Naruto's sword was pressed up against his throat. Placing his free hand against the dull side of the blade, Naruto pushed down like a chef carefully cutting vegetables and sliced through the guard's neck. With a gush of blood, he died.

There was a gasp and Naruto looked up at the second guard, who had just turned the corner of the large red fence. Without hesitation, Naruto flung a kunai at the man, hitting him in the throat. There was a splash of blood that splattered over the ground as the guard reached up for his neck, dropping his spear and stumbling backwards. He wound up tripping on the edge of the cliff and fell to the ground fifteen feet below with a sickening crunch.

Standing, Naruto leapt up to the top of the fence, crouching on it like an overgrown bird as he looked out over the entire compound. Despite the fact that it was night, the grounds were fairly well lit and there were very few places and shadows to hide in. There was a single pond to his right, near the wall, and several small bushes surrounded it, but hiding there wouldn't be a very good idea.

There were two large buildings connected to one another by walkways, all panted red but for the dark roof, and they blocked his view of the back but for small glimpses. Attached to the building on the right was another walkway, and attached to that walkway was a small hut, the pale white door glowing from an indoor fire. Naruto's eyes narrowed. That was his best bet.

Naruto leapt down from the gate top, sword poised in a downward stab. As he came down, his sword sunk through the guard's right shoulder a few inches from his neck and sliced through several organs as well as vital arteries. There was a violent spray of blood as the man collapsed and died, letting him know that he had severed the jugular vein, and it splashed all over him, soaking his uniform through and dyeing Hyôrinmaru's hilt red.

Hearing footsteps, Naruto rushed up to the building and pressed himself up against the wall. A few seconds later, another samurai walked onto the walkway right before Naruto's eyes. Leaping from his hiding spot, Naruto grappled the man and pulled him outside, pushing him against the wall. With a violent stab, he cut through the man's spine and into the wall, jerking his blade upwards and into a lung.

As soon as his sword was loose, the man slumped against the wall and slid to the ground, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Going through several hand seals, Naruto stopped on snake. The earth and dirt at his feet rippled and dove upward, swallowing the corpse whole and dragging it down beneath the surface.

A single seal later and several Kage Bunshin popped into existence noiselessly, saluting him before they rushed off to their destination. As soon as they were all out of sight, Naruto leapt onto the roof and looked towards the back of the compound, which had previously been obscured by the very building he sat atop.

There were several small huts in the back, a couple fenced in or separated by fences for whatever reason, though it soon became clear why. The windows were barred with thick wood and several guards patrolled the fronts, which meant there wasn't a back door. There was no light peeking through the heavy bamboo doors, so that meant these huts could only contain one thing.

Prisoners.

Naruto frowned, standing up straight. He took off at a run, dashing over the thick clay and porcelain tiles that lay beneath his feet. As he reached the edge of the building, he leapt forward in a sort of dive, landing between two guards and rolling past them. As he stopped his movement and finished in a crouch, the men beside him gasped in surprise.

His hand reached up and grasped his sword. In a blur of movement faster than lightning, he lashed out at both men, then sheathed his blade again. There were two identical spurts of blood, the dark red liquid sinking into the dark cloth of his clothes and soaking his hair, and then the two sentinels fell to the ground, cut in half at the waist.

Twisting around, Naruto flung two kunai towards the far wall, barely missing the other guards. Predictably, both the burly and scrawny groups of samurai panicked slightly when the black metal flew past them. Naruto didn't bother to hide as they looked towards him, biting down on the two strands of ninja wire as he flashed through hand seals.

He stopped on tiger and took a deep breath, watching as the samurai sentinels tried to wiggle out of the thin, durable wire that had them trapped. His eyes cold, he blew out and two streams of fire raced down the wire at amazing speeds, consuming the samurai as they went. Each one screamed as their skin melted off their bones, but Naruto's wince of sympathy was barely noticeable.

Turning his gaze away from them, Naruto leapt over the building in front of him, landing on the wall behind it and leaning against the back of the small hut. Turning to look at the barred window, he tapped against the wood as hard as he dared to. There was a slight ruckus — he had obviously startled whoever was in there.

"Hello?" a voice asked unsurely, barely older than perhaps fourteen or fifteen. "Who's there?"

"Depends," Naruto said softly. "Who's in there?"

"Ishida Mitsunari," the voice replied, brimming with confidence, "former heir to the Daimyo throne of Nami no Kuni."

"Nami no Kuni, huh?" Naruto replied. "What are you doing so far away from home, Ishida-kun?"

"I'm a 'political hostage'," Mitsunari said darkly and bitterly. "Gatou kidnapped me to use against my father about two and a half years ago. He said he'd kill me if my father didn't bend to his demands. If it had been my choice, I would've rather died. Because of me, Gatou and his bastard buddies have my country under their thumb."

Naruto allowed a chuckle to pass his lips. He could practically hear Mitsunari flush, "Don't laugh! It's not funny!"

"You're right, it's not," Naruto didn't bother to stop laughing, "but the irony is killer."

"Right," Mitsunari said scathingly, his tone sarcastic, "irony. It's absolutely hilarious."

"It is," Naruto replied, "because Gatou's dead."

Mitsunari shifted around, a pregnant pause blanketing the two of them, then, "What?"

"Gatou's been dead for about a year or so now, give or take a few months," Naruto told him calmly. "I saw him die with my own eyes, his neck slashed almost in half. If that didn't kill him, I'm sure the four story fall did."

"So, Gatou's dead," Mitsunari mused. "That means that my country is free. Good. Even if they don't need me, I'm sure things are working out for them."

"You could always go back, you know," Naruto told him. "I could set you free and lead you back home or point you in the right direction. I could even kill the guys holding you captive so that you can make a clean get away."

"No," Mitsunari said solemnly, "I can't go back. Gatou and his friends warned me that the moment I escaped, they'd launch a full-scale invasion and destroy my country. My freedom isn't worth the lives of so many innocent people. I could never forgive myself if I were the cause of that."

"But if I kill the guys who are keeping you locked up," Naruto insisted, "then they won't be able to strike! You could go home, safe and sound and free, and Kimura wouldn't be able to touch you!"

"It's not that simple," Mitsunari fought back. "Kimura is merely a small link in a large chain. If he dies and I'm found missing, they'll still assume it was my doing and destroy my country. I can't do what you're asking. I'll not condemn my people to death simply to escape my prison!"

Naruto suddenly chuckled, "Well said. It seems, Mitsunari, that you and I are very similar people. Now, let's get you out of here."

"Weren't you listening?" Mitsunari demanded hotly. "I can't go!"

"Yes, you can," Naruto said, grinning as he sliced the bars off of the window. He leapt through it, landing inside the small hut next to a boy about a year his senior with long, auburn brown hair. "Because, to the rest of the world, tonight will be the night that Ishida Mitsunari dies."

"What are you talking about?" Mitsunari asked confusedly.

Naruto ignored him, pulling out a scroll from one of the three pouches tied to the back of his belt. He unrolled it and bit his thumb, swiping it along the rice paper before going through hand seals. He pressed his palms against the paper and, in a poof of smoke, a nondescript body lay naked on the floor.

"This is what's called a 'Corpse Doll', recently developed by Konoha's R&D," Naruto explained, waving his hand over at Mitsunari. He fell to his knees numbly sitting next to the crouched Naruto. The blond grabbed his hand a pricked his thumb with a kunai. "All you have to do is get a blood sample of the person you want to mimic and you can create a realistic corpse of that person."

Naruto pressed Mitsunari's thumb against the body's forehead, wiping the blood across the doll's brow. As soon as the two of them withdrew their hands, the body on the floor twisted and morphed with sick squelching sounds until an exact double of the brown-haired boy was lying with its eyes closed on the wooden boards.

"How does this help us?" Mitsunari asked acidly. "How does this change the fact that my country will be targeted?"

"Because Kimura and all the people associated with his illegal shipments are targeted for assassination," Naruto explained. "Doing this ensures that whoever's left, in the case that my team actually misses someone, can't blame you."

Naruto nodded, then looked out the broken window, "Are there any other prisoners?"

"No," Mitsunari replied quietly. "No one that we'd want to rescue, anyway. They're all prisoners of war; hostages from this village calling itself 'Hidden Sound'. They're supposed to ensure that the negotiations with that place go smoothly. They're collateral, I think is the right word."

"All right," Naruto nodded, then turned towards the window. "Come on, let's go. It's a long walk back to camp."

"Wait!" Mitsunari insisted. "What about Kimura?"

Naruto was about to reply when the perfect answer hit him.

_He advanced on the cowering man, his sword stained with blood from the many guards he had slain. It was splattered all over his mask, painting the white porcelain a dark and scary crimson. The red liquid dripped from his hands and gloves, which squeaked slightly with his every move. His blonde hair was wet, slick, and matted with scarlet and sweat. He imagined he looked like a demon._

"_Please!" Kimura begged. "I'll give you anything! Just spare me my life!"_

"_Kimura Izaemon," he began darkly, his voice a low growl._

"_Please!" Kimura continued, begging pitifully. "I'll tell you anything you want to know!"_

"_Your future," he spoke harshly, his breath rattling against his mask, "is death."_

_His strike was fast as lightning, slicing cleanly through the man's neck. He watched stoically as Kimura's head flopped to the ground, blood gushing from both sides of the severed neck. It splashed against the wall, staining the floorboards crimson and coating the room in a coppery stench. His job done, he turned around and disappeared with a small pop._

Naruto let go of the breath he'd been holding, "Kimura Izaemon is no longer a problem."

Mitsunari shivered at his tone, then sighed, "Alright, let's go."

Naruto nodded, "Stand near the back wall."

Mitsunari did as told, feeling uneasy as the blond boy went through several strange hand motions. The feeling intensified as his companion took a deep breath, pressing his fingers to his lips, and then blew. A giant fireball was what came out, barreling into the front wall of the hut with raucous intensity.

"I've had some tutoring in Ninjutsu, but," Mitsunari whispered in awe, "I never imagined…"

"Stop ogling and hop on!" Naruto said hotly.

Mitsunari turned away from the flames almost reluctantly, draping his arms over Naruto's shoulders as he climbed onto the boy's back. He expected his new friend to just burst through the wall like a rhinoceros, but the blond proved him wrong by pressing his hand up against the rear wall and closing his eyes.

"Hadô no Sanjuusan," Naruto said quietly, "Sôkatsui."

There was a bright flash of blue and, suddenly, a large portion of the back wall was missing, as if it had simply disintegrated. Mitsunari kept his eyes wide open, afraid that he'd miss something if he blinked. With a large space cleared for their exit, Naruto leapt away from the hut and into the woods, even as the other prisoner huts caught fire..

Mitsunari didn't look back even once.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto landed atop the roof of the tall building, amazed at the advanced structure it displayed. Yuugao landed next to him, her long purple hair cascading down her back and her mask covering her face. She was his partner on this mission because the target was suspected of hiring high-level ninja.

The mission was simple. Echigoya Heisuke, the uncle of Echigoya Rokube and nearly twice as corrupt as his nephew, needed to be assassinated. Itachi had been trailing him a little while back and deemed that he had no more information that would be useful to them. Thus, the order was given to assassinate him.

Sunlight blanketed the small town in brightness, which meant that there were much fewer places to hide. Normally, they wouldn't be doing a mission like this in broad daylight. It risked mission failure and the discovery of their involvement. That was _not_ something that Konoha needed, considering how tense the situation with Sound already was.

Echigoya, however, had made things a bit more complicated than Team Foxhound would have liked. He was scheduled to leave the country by boat in the middle of the day and would henceforth be unreachable in the Land of Earth, sheltered by a few of Sound's allies in Iwagakure, the Hidden Stone village.

That was why Naruto and Yuugao were where they were, perched atop a three story building made of sanded, symmetrical stone. Behind them was the vast land of Fire Country, and in front of them was the famous Sea of Japan, which split Fire Country in half and ran along the edge of the East Continent and up to Tsuchi no Kuni.

Naruto knew that, if they were going to kill Echigoya Heisuke, they had to do it here and now. He could not be allowed to escape to enemy territory and safety. They would have to make it through a town crawling with body guards and keep out of sight of civilians to do so, but it was necessary to accomplish their mission.

Naruto motioned to Yuugao and she nodded, jumping to the next rooftop before diving down into the alleyway. She was going to take that side of town and he would take the other. Splitting up might not be the best idea, but it was the only idea that would work for them. Everything had to work or else the entire mission was blown.

Unsheathing his sword, Naruto leapt down on the two unsuspecting sentinels, landing silently behind the first one. With a swing of his blade, the first man fell to the ground, cut in half at the middle. Naruto vanished before the second could so much as brandish his spear, reappearing back to back with the man, his sword stabbed through the guard's back and out his stomach.

Wrenching his weapon free with a spurt of blood, the second guard fell to the ground and gurgled his last breath, his life's essence staining the ground crimson. Naruto didn't bother turning around and simply rushed out of the small alcove, going right and dashing towards the other man walking down the street.

Steel flashed as he tackled the third guard to the dirt road, his sword slicing through the samurai's vocal cords and severing his jugular vein. Blood sprayed out, soaking Naruto's arms and hands in crimson and staining his white porcelain armor red. Gasping for breath, the third guard fell limp and died.

Creeping forward quietly, he stopped and crouched down at the edge of a slanted dirt ramp. The area he currently stalked in, it seemed, was elevated above the rest of the port town. He peered over the edge, looking down at the ground beneath his position. There, right below him and a meter or so to the left was another guard, yawning as he patrolled the area.

Naruto was more cautious than that, though, and turned his gaze upwards toward a walled-in building and the street beside it. There, in plain sight of the first guard, was another guard walking up and down the dirt road, no doubt patrolling that area while the first one merely looked around every once in a while.

He would have to time this just right in order to stay unnoticed. If he was too slow, the second man would see him as he killed the first and would raise an alarm before Naruto could do anything. If he was too fast, the second man might catch him out of the corner of his eyes, then raise an alarm anyways.

As soon as the second man had turned around, Naruto hopped off the edge of the ramp and landed behind the first guard, jumping atop him and dragging them both face first into the ground. Wasting no time, Naruto raised his blade and sliced cleanly through the first guard's spine, killing him instantly.

As soon as the first man was dead, Naruto dashed towards the second at full speed, his feet clapping against the ground noisily. Apparently, his haste had alerted his enemy to his presence as the man turned around and his face twisted in horror. He looked ready to scream out in terror, but Naruto would not give him the chance.

Hyôrinmaru was sharper than most blades, which gave him a distinct advantage over normal metal. In assassination, it made for a cleaner kill. As Naruto ran his sword through the second guard, it became clear that, even without Shikai or Bankai, Hyôrinmaru was a superior sword.

The silvery blade bit into the samurai a lot easier than a normal sword would, making a neat incision in the cloth he was wearing as it tore a whole in pale pink flesh. There was no blood, surprisingly, as though the man had been drained of it long ago. There was no flash of crimson or spurt of scarlet. There was only a pained and agonized gasp as the life left his eyes.

Naruto pulled Hyôrinmaru free, a torrent of red spraying out as soon as the metal had been pulled loose. The guard staggered backwards, gasping and holding his hands over the wound as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. He tripped over his own heels and gulped in his last breath, then went still.

Paying no notice, Naruto charged chakra to his feet and jumped atop the large brick building in front of him, peering over the edge of the roof tiles. He grimaced in annoyance. There, strolling along the cobblestone street, was another guard. He was distinctly dumb looking and seemed nothing more than a common thug.

Naruto pulled a kunai from the holster on his leg, taking precise aim as the thug stopped moving for a moment to look around. His muscles tensed, he threw the tiny blade with all of his might, watching as it sailed down at unstoppable speeds towards its target. With the force of a freight train, the small kunai sunk into the man's neck. There was a large spurt of blood, then the thug collapsed sideways, dead.

Channeling chakra to his legs once more, Naruto jumped across the wide street and onto the building across from him. Looking down from the roof to find an empty alleyway, he leapt again onto the next building, landing softly on the tiled roof. In front of him, he could see the vast and wide body of water that his target intended to travel on.

Peering down beneath him again, Naruto frowned and let out a frustrated sigh. How many guards did this guy have stationed around the tiny little port town? Was he seriously that paranoid that he thought he needed such extensive security measures? Did he _know_ that he was being followed? Was that even possible?

Exasperated, Naruto drew another kunai from the holster on his right leg. Luckily, this guard wasn't in view of the boat or else he might have alerted a few people to his presence. He threw the tiny blade and watched as it buried itself up to the hilt in the man's skull, which guaranteed that he was dead.

Jumping down, Naruto broke into a run instantly, heading towards the docks. After all, that's where his target would be, preparing to ship off so as to escape the wrath of his enemies. Yuugao would probably be along shortly, as soon as she finished up with her group of guards on the other end of town.

As he ran up the gangplank, however, Naruto received his first shock in quite a while. Every single bodyguard on the ship, whether they were samurai, ninja, or even simple civilians, was dead and bleeding sluggishly over the already red boards. As a cry of terror reached his ears, Naruto's gaze flickered over to the only survivor of this massacre.

"Help me!" Echigoya cried pitifully, his old wrinkled face soaked with sweat. "Plea—!"

He never got to finish his sentence. Protruding from his neck, stabbed through the back and severing his spine without a doubt, was a thin, straight ninja-to. Just as soon as it had killed Heisuke, however, it was jerked out of the corpse ruthlessly. As Echigoya fell to the ground, dead, Naruto got his first look at the assassin.

Naruto's first thought was, 'Itachi'. It left just as quickly. The man standing before him looked to be about twenty years old, his body lean and muscular. His bare chest was covered only in fishnet, a long, dark coat not unlike Ibiki's hanging open on his shoulders and hiding his arms. His hair was short but his bangs were long, his dark eyes stoic and cold.

Dark pants rippled as he shifted slightly, his black eyes glancing at something behind Naruto. In a calm voice he spoke, just barely above a whisper, "The shadows of Konoha."

Naruto just barely brought his sword up in time to block the man's blow, sparks flying as his enemy's steel slid against Hyôrinmaru. His blade jiggled as his arms strained under the man's superior strength. One thought flashed through his head, overriding the alarmed, panicked responses that tried to make it to the surface, _'Fast!'_

"Taichô!"

The man jumped back as a familiar purple-haired woman lunged toward him, seeking to stab him and bury her blade in his abdomen. She settled into a defensive posture in front of her blonde commander, brandishing her sword threateningly. Naruto scowled, knowing that he would have to finish this battle quickly.

He flashed through one-handed seals, the water around the ship churning as it lifted into the air, forming a cage of needles around the unidentified man, "Sensatsu Suisho!"

The man, however, seemed prepared for such a thing. As the needles of water rushed in to attack and skewer him, his arm seemed to blur, moving in multiple directions all at once. When he stopped moving, the needles of water had all splashed down on to the deck of the ship, returned to their base composition.

As the shock of his failure sunk in, Naruto could only watch as Yuugao dove at the enemy ninja, bringing her sword down in a vertical slash. The man blocked it simply, pushing her back and then kicking her in the stomach. She flew back and collided with the floor, skidding to a halt at Naruto's feet.

Growling, Naruto pointed his palm at the man and shouted out his next attack, "Hadô no Sanjuusan: Sôkatsui!"

A ball of blue fire rocketed forwards from Naruto's palm, targeting the mysterious shinobi who had, by all accounts, done their job for them. It exploded against the man, sending up dust, smoke and pieces of wood in the process. Naruto growled again as he looked up towards the sky, where the man had jumped.

Naruto leapt upwards as well, landing on one of the long poles that clung to the mast and held the sails in place. His eyes were narrowed into thin blue slits as he glared at this new and impressive enemy. Whoever he was, he was at least high A-class in strength and skill, perhaps even S-class.

Jumping over towards his opponent, Naruto brought his sword down in a vertical slash. It was blocked almost effortlessly, drawing another growl from the blonde's throat. His next attempt was to slice the man in half at the waist, but that attack was blocked as well. Snarling, Naruto vanished.

The man twisted to the left, his long coat fluttering on his right as tempered steel stabbed through the knitted cloth like it was nothing. As the coat settled, obscuring Naruto's hands from view, the man reared his arm back, stabbing forward with his ninja-to, crashing right into Naruto's mask.

The porcelain cracked and shattered as he pulled his sword back again, attempting to behead the blonde. Naruto ducked underneath it, twisting his blade and the cloth trapped around it, shaking his enemy's footing. As the man righted himself, he was unprepared for the fist that his opponent had thrown his way.

The man's head jerked backwards as he stumbled atop the thin, horizontal wooden pole, a bruise already purpling on his cheek. His face didn't change even the slightest, despite the angry puce spot on the right side of his mouth. His lips didn't even twitch and his eyes seemed as if they refused to narrow.

Then, he seemed to fade from view as his voice spoke up from behind Naruto, "It looks like I have found a worthy opponent."

"Taichô!" Yuugao called, tackling him as the man's blade scraped against the back of her armor. They righted themselves in midair and landed with a dull thud on the deck below, glaring up at the man.

"You are indeed skilled," the man said. He jumped from the mast and did an acrobatic flip, landing on the other side of the deck on his knees. He stood slowly. "My name is Shigi."

"Yuugao," Naruto commanded sternly, "get off the ship."

Nodding, Yuugao leapt backwards and off the boat, landing on the dock and backing up steadily, as her Taichô had commanded. Naruto jumped on to the ledge of the deck, then sprung upwards high into the air as he swung his sword, calling out, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

A dragon made of liquid ice soared downwards, opening its massive maw in a roar as it flew towards the man identified as Shigi. As the beast closed the distance between them, Shigi lifted his sword and batted the dragon away as if it were nothing. It swerved off course and crashed into the ocean, turning the immediate vicinity into ice.

"What do you know of this man?" Naruto asked as he landed next to Yuugao.

"He's called 'Shigi the Silent'," she told him. "He's marked down as a low S-rank ninja with incredible combat skills. Supposedly, he's a rogue ninja from Iwagakure that almost never speaks. Other sources say that he's a ninja from a clan employed directly by a Daimyo, though which one, they don't say. His trademark is called the 'Hane Shunshin'." (Feather Body Flicker)

"S-rank, huh?" Naruto breathed. "Think we can take him?"

She didn't get to answer as Shigi beckoned with his hand, saying, "Come, Ryûjin."

Naruto vanished, reappearing in front of Shigi with their swords locked, glaring at the man with frosty blue eyes. He jerked forwards suddenly, kneeing a surprised Shigi in the stomach and leaving the man open long enough to get his combo off. Shrugging the man's sword out of the way, he slashed downward.

Twisting his grip, he brought a second slash upwards, hacking a diagonal mark in Shigi's chest starting near his left hip. The third slash was horizontal from left to right, targeting the ninja's abdomen. Gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed downward again, deepening the first cut.

Kneeling forward slightly as Shigi's body shifted back from the force of his blows, he carved another left to right horizontal slash in his enemy's thighs. The next one was another diagonal slash that deepened the first, followed by another left to right horizontal slash that deepened the first as well.

Next, above the first horizontal slash, he carved another one, this time from right to left, in Shigi's torso. He followed up with a downward slash over the right side of the ninja's chest, then a horizontal left to right slash over his pectorals. He deepened the first right to left horizontal slash, then carved a downward diagonal slice from the notch between his collarbones to underneath the left side of his ribs.

The thirteenth slash sliced upwards into the left side of Shigi's chest with more force than all of the others. He stumbled backwards, Naruto jumping up and doing a summersault in midair, sword gripped tightly in both palms. As gravity pulled him back down, his sword carved a brutal slash through Shigi's head, torso, and the rest of his body, from crown to crotch.

In a voice as quiet and dark as death, Naruto said, "Hattou Issen."

In a puff of smoke, Shigi vanished to reveal a piece of mast that had been brutally slashed into tiny chunks. The real Shigi was standing at the ship's helm, a single long cut down the center of his torso. He had escaped the majority of Naruto's vicious attack, but he'd still been hit by the first strike.

"Indeed, a worthy opponent," Shigi said calmly, even as the cut on his chest bleed sluggishly, soaking his pants and painting his stomach red. "Don't die yet, Ryûjin."

And, in a blur of motion, he disappeared, leaving three black feathers behind.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The night was dark, the full moon blocked out by blue-tinted clouds as they lazily crossed the midnight sky. Stars too were hidden by these clouds, their bright twinkle snuffed by thick, condensed vapor. The vibrant trees turned dull and lifeless, once bright leaves turned to a sickly, dead green.

The wind was cool and brisk, howling as it wound through tree trunks and past branches, ruffling anything loose as it went. Blonde hair swayed in this wind and blue eyes blinked to keep from drying out. Red-ish orange flames flickered in the gentle gale, crackling away as dead wood fed them and kept them strong.

The blond shoved his stick further into the flames, watching as they rose furiously, lighting his little clearing and warming his chilled skin. A second jab and the fire took on a life all its own, flaring almost anxiously as the cool wind gentle settled it back down. It flashed in the blonde's blue eyes, bright and raging.

"_Hayate-kun…" Yuugao said slowly. "Hayate-kun was a very good man. He was kind and gentle, but he knew when the job was more important. He loved the village and all of the people inside of it, and often professed to me his desire to start a family."_

_Yuugao smiled sadly, "We were planning to get married. He told me to wait until after the Chûnin Exams, when things settled down. There would be too much excitement going on if we did so before then. He just wanted to have a quiet wedding with a few friends and colleagues, nothing big and fancy. Said that the size of the wedding wasn't important, it was the people who came."_

_Naruto nodded, understanding, "So…what happened?"_

_Yuugao bit her lip and tears welled up in her eyes, "He…he was killed a few days from the Finals. My old squad found him atop one of the buildings near the apartment used by the Sand Shinobi. He was…He was…cut nearly in half, his eyes wide open. He looked…so terrified."_

_Yuugao sobbed into her knees, "How could they do something like that to such a sweet man?"_

Naruto yawned, his mouth forming a perfect 'o'. He stretched his arms out, groaning noisily, and leaned backwards, letting out a satisfied sigh. He stood up and walked over to his sleeping bag, lying back on it to look at the sky with his hands folded behind his head. He smiled and let out a slight chuckle.

Yuugao was due back soon from whatever patrol or the like she had gone on. Itachi and Hawk were with Jiraiya at the main camp, receiving new orders for new missions and such the like. He himself was just coming back from an assassination mission that had almost gotten him killed. If Yuugao hadn't shown up at the last second, he might have been overwhelmed.

"_Kurokawa Shinzo," Naruto said coldly, walking towards the man with his sword drawn. "Commander of Otogakure's main army and one of Orochimaru's highest ranking figures, despite the fact that you're only a samurai with nothing more than a slightly above average knowledge of Ninjutsu. You plan to lead the army to Konoha tomorrow and do as much damage as you can."_

_Naruto stopped moving, glaring at the tall, muscular man, "Your future is death."_

_Shinzo chuckled, "That's what you think, _boy._"_

_He snapped his fingers and there was suddenly a large group of ninja, all Jônin if they could sneak around without him noticing, surrounding him on all sides. They all leered at him like he was a weak little Genin that they could tear apart in their sleep. He knew that, against a couple of them, he could win, but against this large number, he stood no chance._

'_Hinata-chan,' he thought solemnly, 'I'm sorry.'_

_There was a flash of steel and dozens of kunai rained down upon the large group, killing several of them before they could so much as breathe. A figure with purple hair appeared from nowhere, standing back to back with Naruto as she brandished her sword at the remaining men. Naruto felt a sigh of relief pass his lips before he could stop it._

"_I'm here, Taichô," Yuugao said confidently._

"Taichô," a feminine voice called quietly.

Naruto looked up to see Yuugao walk into the clearing. His eyes went wide as she sauntered past the trees, her hips swaying seductively. She was clad in nothing more than a thin, silk, fuchsia-colored robe that was hung low on her arms, revealing pale, creamy skin and not a small amount of cleavage that Jiraiya would kill for.

As he looked into her eyes, however, he realized that she wasn't _just_ trying to seduce him. She was crying, tears streaming down her face as if Hayate had just died all over again. He felt a pang in his heart. He hated seeing beautiful women cry. It was a bit of a chauvinistic thought, but it was true nonetheless.

"Taichô," she whispered softly, leaning down to straddle his waist. "Please, Taichô. No…please…Naruto-kun…"

Her robe slipped further, showing just a hint of her right areola, a dark pink against her creamy skin. Her smooth thighs, taught and lean like all shinobi, pressed up against his hips, strong as steel cords. He could feel, through the cloth of his pants, that she wore nothing beneath her robe.

"I miss Hayate-kun so much, Naruto-kun," she said into his ear. "This ache in my chest, it won't go away. I-I need to feel something else…something to distract from this pain…"

"Yuugao," he said softly, his eyes gentle. Something tugged at his insides, a feeling of sympathy and a need to wipe away those tears, no matter the cost. A little voice in his ear whispered 'genjutsu!' but he didn't hear it. "I don't know if…"

"Please, Naruto-kun," she begged, anguish clear in her voice. More tears fell. "If-if not this…then I might just stick my hand in that fire!"

Naruto sighed, feeling as if he were about to betray Hinata, "If you're sure about this…"

"I am," she replied. "You…you remind me so much of Hayate-kun…"

She sighed, closing her eyes as she tugged his shirt off of him, "Please…make love to me, Naruto-kun…"

The rest of the night passed in a blur of heated flesh, gasps and moans, and a deep sense of guilt that welled up in Naruto's gut. Yuugao had done a lot for him and he considered her a close friend, but was he really doing what was right? He scolded himself in these moments; Yuugao was grieving and he could not live with himself if he did nothing to help her.

Still, he gave her a number of chances to change her mind, asked her repeatedly if she was sure that she wanted to keep going. In the end, however, he still found himself beneath her and succumbing to the glorious feeling of her slick, velvety flesh. Even with that sick feeling in his gut, he could not stop himself from enjoying the sensations that came with this strange adventure into sex.

When Naruto awoke the next morning, it was without the warmth of a female body pressed up against him. At once, he shot up in his sleeping bag, looking wildly around the clearing. The fire was out, the fuchsia robe lay next to him and he was completely dressed once more. But Yuugao was missing.

Dread filled him as he realized that though he had woken up, it was the middle of the day, just barely after noon. He _never_ woke up that late on a mission, not even back on the Wave mission. There was only one possible explanation for why he had woken up so late in the day, with Yuugao missing.

She'd drugged him. Not only that, but she had used Genjutsu to make sure it worked.

As a wheezing breathing filtered into the clearing, Naruto leapt out of his sleeping bag, grabbing Hyôrinmaru from the ground beside him and resting his hand on the hilt. He looked over towards the direction of the noise, then immediately dropped his weapon as dread plopped once more down into his stomach.

He rushed over to Yuugao as she collapsed forward, coughing roughly as blood trickled down over her lips. He gently lowered her to the ground, supporting her head with his arms and desperately trying to figure out what was wrong with her when the only injuries she had were a few scrapes and bruis—

Kabuto.

Even as he realized who had put his teammate in the condition she was in, he also realized that there was nothing he could do to save her. Someone of Kabuto's caliber, someone with enough medic skills to severe arteries and block chakra from reaching vital organs, would not leave enough behind for someone else to heal.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered. He tried to shush her, frantically asking Hyôrinmaru to help heal her the way he had Hinata, but all he got was a firm shake of the dragon's head. She was beyond help. "I'm…sorry, Naruto-kun. Sorry that I…tricked you…"

She coughed again, "When…Jiraiya said…Kabuto was… behind all this, I…I wanted to kill him by myself…so I…drugged…you…"

"It's alright," he said soothingly, "I forgive you."

"Just like…Hayate-kun," She smiled, looking at something far in the distance, something he couldn't see. "It's…It's all…just a…"

Her lips formed over the next word, but no sound came out. He knew what she was trying to say, though, and whispered it back to her, "Yeah…Just a dream…"

With a peaceful smile on her face, her eyes slowly closed and she fell limp in his arms. The heavens opened as he stared up at the sky and released thick, heavy rain.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

As Jiraiya awoke, he sat up from the ground and yawned, stretching his arms wide. Once he had regained focus of the world, he blinked and rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. What he saw didn't change, so he blinked owlishly once again and wondered if he was sane.

"Hey," Naruto said lightly, a peaceful smile on his face, "got any food?"

"Uh…" Jiraiya looked over at the pot of stew boiling over the fire, figuring that Itachi or Hawk had probably set it up. "Sure…"

Smiling, Naruto dished himself up some of the stew and dug in. He ate quickly, that damnable smile still on his face to the point that Jiraiya wondered if it wasn't pasted on. Through a full mouth, the blonde mumbled, "This food tastes terrible, as always."

Jiraiya frowned; it was _his_ recipe after all, "If it tastes so terrible, then why are you eating it?"

Naruto swallowed and threw Jiraiya a grin, "They say hunger is the best spice."

Jiraiya didn't bother to comment as the blonde simply continued to shovel food down his throat. When he was finally done eating some ten minutes later, Naruto burped and let out a sigh, then glanced at his aged companion, "Have you heard this story?"

Taking a deep breath, he said, "There once was a tiger-striped cat. This cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives, and he was owned by various people who he didn't really care for. The cat wasn't afraid to die. Then, one day, the cat became a stray cat, which meant he was free. He met a white female cat and the two of them spent their days together happily."

He took another breath, making sure to make it dramatic to add flare to his story, "Well, years passed and the white cat grew weak and died of old age. The tiger-striped cat cried a million times and then he died, too. Except this time, he didn't come back to life."

"Hm," Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully, "that's a good story."

"I _hate_ that story," Naruto said.

Jiraiya arched an eyebrow, blinking in confusion, "Huh?"

"I never liked cats. You know that, sensei," Naruto smirked.

Realization dawned, and he chuckled humorously, "Oh yeah. Heh. Heh heh. Heh heh heh."

Naruto soon joined in and it erupted into a full blown cackle the likes of which he hadn't felt in years. As they continued to laugh ridiculously, Naruto stood and started to walk away, still laughing at whatever the two of them thought was funny. As his humor died down, Jiraiya called, "Hey, Naruto!"

Naruto stopped, "Yeah?"

"I just want to ask you one thing," he said seriously.

Naruto still smiled, "What's that?"

"Is it for the girl?"

There was a pause as the mood immediately turned sour, "She's dead, Sensei. There's nothing more I can do for her now."

With those haunting, pain-filled words hanging in the air, he walked back into the trees and vanished. Absently, Jiraiya wondered if he'd ever see him again.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Naruto landed silently on the large wall, much like the wall that had guarded Echigoya Rokube's little corner of the world as well as the place Kimura Izaemon had inhabited. _This _wall, however, was much larger and much more intricate than those other walls. This wall was a wall worthy of a royal castle.

Indeed, that was what this wall guarded; a large, tiered castle with at least four floors and reaching at least four stories. Several guards were in place around the perimeter as well, protecting their liege from any outside threats. They were all samurai, but he could see a couple of ninja perched atop the roof of the vast structure.

Hopping down off of the section of wall he'd climbed atop, Naruto squatted down in the shadows, trying his best to remain hidden from the scores of enemies littered across the sprawling grounds. As soon as the guards defending the first of many gates turned around, he took his opportunity and dashed towards them.

The first guard lost his head, quite literally, and fell to the ground with a vicious spray of blood. As the second guard turned to investigate the sounds that had undoubtedly caught his attention, Naruto thrust forward with his sword, catching the second man in the stomach with a brutal stab that literally destroyed his insides.

To make sure that the man couldn't speak or even die slowly, Naruto pulled out a kunai from the holster on his right leg and jammed it up through the man's chin and the roof of his mouth, doubtlessly severing his tongue. Pulling his knife loose, Naruto allowed the man to fall to the ground and finish dying.

"Savage anger," Naruto hissed as he dumped both bodies into the mote on the other side of the wall, "anger and misery."

Making two clones and sending them to the small house that was also on the grounds, he crossed the small bridge cautiously, peeking around the corners of the other wall on the opposite end. Two more guards; two more men who would die because Kabuto had decided to kill one of Naruto's friends.

Sheathing Hyôrinmaru as he grabbed two kunai, he dashed out between the two sentinels and threw the kunai in his hands. With two identical, sickening thuds and two identical spurts of red blood, both of the guards collapsed to the side, dead, with a kunai sticking out of their skull and their eyes wide open in death.

_He stalked up behind the kunoichi, holding his sword ready. She was pacing around her room, but she wasn't looking behind the unfolded wooden blind that allowed her to change in privacy. If he were to be honest, he didn't think she deserved that Chûnin vest she was wearing. You had to be an idiot to ignore a very good hiding place._

_As she turned her back to him, he leapt out of his spot and raised his weapon silently. She didn't even realize he was there until it was too late for her to do anything and she had a sword sticking out of her chest, piercing her heart. He pulled his sword loose with a spray of blood, watching as the warm corpse slid to the floor, releasing a steady flow of crimson onto the wood tile._

Throwing the other two guards into the mote, Naruto turned a single eye back at them as the dead bodies slowly floated away, "By death's invitation."

_He descended upon the second kunoichi, sword flashing as she looked up at him. She barely dodged out of the way, but she managed to escape his steel. She squared herself, moving into a taijutsu stance that he didn't recognize at all. He scowled. He needed to finish this quickly. With a soft swoosh, he disappeared and rematerialized behind her. Before she could so much as register his presence, he had already lopped her head off. She fell to the ground, blood squirting out of her neck and very much dead._

Pulling a kunai from his holster, Naruto dashed towards the next gate the one that would bring him closer to the towering castle that he needed to infiltrate. As the guard turned in his direction and seemed to see him, he threw his kunai and watched as it sunk into the man's forehead, knocking him backwards and to the ground, dead.

Before the second guard could even turn around and register that he was there, a second kunai had appeared in his hand and already been thrown. It sunk into his neck, cutting his vocal cords and severing his throat. With a defeated and desperate gurgle, he fell to the ground, suffocating on his own blood.

Naruto turned at the gate, dashing with full speed up the winding steps that would take him to the castle. As a shadow looming around the corner courtesy of a torch revealed the presence of yet another guard, Naruto drew his sword and lopped off the guard's head, killing him instantly. The body fell to the wayside, but Naruto paid it no mind.

The mission specs that had led Yuugao to travel to this place and, inevitably, to her death were flashing through Naruto's eyes: Yakushi Kabuto is currently leading the Otogakure army while Orochimaru recovers. Assassinate Yakushi Kabuto and cripple the enemy forces. Mission Rank: S.

Yuugao had taken this mission for the purpose of killing the man who had murdered her fiancé, Gekkô Hayate. While she hadn't been lying about needing comfort from Naruto, she had had an ulterior motive behind it: while Itachi and Hawk would respect her wishes, Naruto would never have let her do this mission alone.

The blonde raced up the stairs, the castle tiers coming closer and closer as he continued upwards. On the last leg, however, he heard voices at the end of the path, revealing the presence of samurai guards. He scowled. He didn't have time to eliminate all of the men who guarded Kabuto. That would take him all night.

Just as he was about to round the corner and run into another pair of guards, he leapt upwards and vanished without a trace, the samurai sentinels none the wiser. He landed and reappeared behind one of the ninja guards on the first tier. Silently, he impaled the shinobi on his gleaming silver blade.

Knowing that he couldn't escape the guards below if he just let the body drop, he held onto it after sheathing his weapon and grabbed two kunai. He threw them both with all of his might, then drew a third and shifted slightly. He threw that one as well, this time in a direction across from his.

The first two kunai buried themselves into the backs of the samurai guards' skulls, killing them and severing their medulla oblongata. The third kunai sunk into the throat of the ninja guarding the opposite end of the first tier. He fell from his perch and off the castle entirely with a silent gurgle and a violent spurt of blood.

Letting the first body go, he allowed it to fall to the unforgiving earth. He vanished again, reappearing behind an alert ninja on the second tier. He decapitated the Nin and let the body fall, throwing the head towards the shocked ninja guarding the other side of the tier. With that shinobi preoccupied with his comrade's head, Naruto buried a kunai in his head right between his eyes.

There were two more ninja on the third tier, each one dying as Naruto sliced their heads off. They too fell off of their tier, and then the castle all together, one landing in a pile at the base, and the other landing in the mote with a distant splash. Though they had been slightly on guard because of his suspicious noises, they weren't prepared to face him.

The ninja perched on the fourth tier were a lot more prepared than those who died before them, but they were only B-rank ninja at best (and Itachi had insisted that Naruto be able to match him in hand seal speed before letting him go on _any_ mission) so they were taken care of quickly. He watched, almost satisfied, as the last of the shinobi sentinels fell with a silent cry.

Leaping through the rear window, Naruto crept up towards the silver-haired teen that seemed as though he were meditating on the floor. As he raised his sword to deliver the final blow, the teen's lips suddenly twitched into a smirk and he chuckled, "My, my, Naruto-kun, coming up here all by yourself to kill me."

Kabuto's cruel eyes snapped open, "Just like Yuugao-san did."

Naruto swung for his neck angrily, but Kabuto had already moved out of the way, still chuckling like he was the funniest person in the world. A sinister blue glow lit up the silver-haired teen's hands as he settled into a taijutsu stance, still smiling that damnable smirk as though he were merely _toying_ with the one his master called Dragon God.

"You caught me by surprise last time," was all Kabuto said.

Naruto snarled, "Bankai!"

In an instant, the roof exploded, disintegrating into the wind. The floor had become slick ice as wings, claws, a tail, and a dragon's head made of frozen liquid formed on Naruto's arms, legs, and back. Naruto's eyes had transformed just as quickly to frozen glaciers with thin slits for pupils.

"I know something you don't know, Naruto-kun," Kabuto said in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled loudly.

"Yuugao-chan was pregnant," Kabuto teased him. "Oh, it was only a few hours along, but I could still tell. She was carrying your child, Naruto-kun."

"Silence yourself!" Naruto replied angrily. "Before I do it for you!"

With a swing of his sword, dragon made of subzero water soared towards Kabuto, who jumped away as the massive beast. It flew away and into the sky, where it became obscured by the dark clouds that followed Naruto's transformation. Kabuto turned his gaze back to Naruto, his smirk widening.

"Go away, Naruto-kun," Kabuto said calmly. "Return to what you were: a memory of a pathetic Genin with no talent whatsoever."

"I will," Naruto stated lowly, finishing in a roar of, "never be a memory!"

He stabbed his sword into the frozen floor, screaming, "Hantei!" (Judgment)

A jagged pillar of ice rose up at astounding speeds, consuming Kabuto and trapping him where he stood, a look of surprise and horror on his face. Several sharp spikes speared through it in a circle, stabbing through Kabuto's arms and legs and everything nonfatal. Naruto twisted his sword and several more pillars rose, shifting into icy blue dragons with red eyes and gaping maws filled with sharp teeth.

Still more pillars rose in between the spaces separating the dragons from each other. They were tall, reaching towards the sky and disappearing into the clouds. He lifted his sword and both the pillars and the dragons stiffened, as if standing at attention before their master. His voice colder than the arctic itself, he said, "Teme wo Yarakasu." (You are guilty)

His sword twisted and immediately the pillars dove in on Kabuto, encasing him in another layer of ice. They melded together until they looked like a single round, tall pillar, reaching towards the heavens. Another twist of his sword and the dragons rushed in, too, melding into the pillar like ornate statues.

With a cold fury, Naruto rushed forward and stabbed into the pillar, crying, "Shine! (Die!)

A blade of ice shot forth from the point of contact where Naruto's blade had bit mere centimeters into the pillar, stabbing forward and out the other side of the pillar. It was stabbed through Kabuto's heart, and would stay there until the traitorous ninja died. The best part about it, the part that satisfied Naruto the most, was that the ice would prevent Kabuto from healing anyway.

As the wings and other appendages melted away and the ice on the floor dissipated, leaving only the pillar, a voice spoke from the shadows, "Well done, Ryûjin, and welcome to the class of S-rank."

A kunai flew from Naruto's hands, but Shigi the Silent caught it between his fingers effortlessly. His face didn't twist into a smile nor did his expression change at all. He simply stood their, a long scar down the center of his chest that seemed almost invisible next to the creases his muscles made.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto growled.

"I cannot say hello to my favorite ANBU?" Shigi asked innocently, his tone never changing.

"I suppose you could," Naruto ceded, "if you had a favorite, anyways."

In an instant, they were at each others' throats, metal clanging as they swung their weapons at one another. Naruto's vertical slash was blocked by Shigi's horizontal one, and his second slash, a diagonal one, was blocked by Shigi's vertical slash. Pressing their blades together inescapably, Naruto curled his fist and launched it at his enemy's head.

It hit head on and Shigi's head jerked back, even if the rest of his body remained motionless. Shock filled Naruto as Shigi brought his head back down and looked at him impassively, enough that it distracted him from Shigi's fist until it was too late. Naruto went flying, but righted himself in midair and flung his palm out, crying, "Hadô no Sanjuusan: Sôkatsui!"

Shigi jumped over the ball of blue fire, landing effortlessly, even as Naruto cried out once more, "Sôkatsui!"

Dashing to the left allowed him to dodge the second attack and Naruto called out its name once again, "Sôkatsui!"

Shigi dodged to the right of the third one, but wasn't prepared for it to be a feint as Naruto appeared in front of him and knocked him into the sky with a powerful uppercut. The blonde followed him into free fall, jumping past him and attempting to deliver an axe-kick that would devastate him if it landed.

He crossed his arms in front of himself and let them take the brunt of the blow, tumbling downward towards the floor of the heavily damaged castle. He righted himself at the last second, landing on his feet and hunched over as the boy fighting him came down at an amazing speed.

At the last second, Shigi raised his sword and defended against Naruto's strike with a horizontal block, pushing the blonde's sword away with his own. As Naruto stumbled backwards, Shigi rushed forward with a vicious stab, attempting to get the boy right through the tender, almost defenseless stomach.

Twisting his foot, Naruto angled his body as best he could. Shigi's sword slid along the cream chest armor and never penetrated, though a straight stab would have. Going with the twist, Naruto brought his foot up and landed a heavy kick against Shigi's chest, knocking him backwards and into Kabuto's pillar.

As Shigi stood straight and went through familiar hand seals, Naruto's eyes widened and he jumped, leaping over top of a giant fireball that would have easily roasted him. As the fire petered out, Naruto threw a kunai down at the defenseless Shigi, then disappeared in a blur and a soft swoosh.

Shigi knocked the kunai away effortlessly, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge or block Naruto's stab, which sliced through his left shoulder and made that arm practically useless. Smirking at the impassive ninja, Naruto slowly pulled the blade out, coated with blood, just barely noticing the small wince that crossed Shigi's expression.

Shigi immediately lashed out, Naruto just barely dodging as his blade sliced a thin cut into the blonde's already whisker-marked cheeks. Ducking beneath his enemy's guard, Naruto landed a harsh palm strike on Shigi's nearly bare abdomen. The air left the dark-haired ninja's mouth with an audible swooshing sound.

Taking advantage of his enemy's surprised state, Naruto landed an uppercut on Shigi's chin, then brought his leg up and launched the pale man backward, where he skidded to a stop on the hard floor. He stood up weakly, panting and his face actually screwed up in pain, if only slightly.

Walking up to the downed man, who clearly wouldn't be getting up for a while, Naruto raised his sword and prepared to make the final blow. Shigi merely looked up at him with those stoic eyes and asked, "Why do you so desperately cling to life? That I do not understand."

Naruto didn't answer, he merely swung his sword.

"Stop!" a familiar voice called. Naruto's sword halted mere inches from decapitating Shigi, the blade shining in the moonlight. Shigi didn't even let out a breath of relief.

Jiraiya walked up from somewhere, though where he had come from was unknown to the blonde. Had he been here all along, waiting for this moment, or the moment when Naruto was defeated? Had he just arrived and merely wanted to interrogate this mysterious ninja? Was Shigi actually an ally in disguise?

As the old man walked forward and glared at the defeated Shigi, his eyes cold and stern, the last question was answered. Shigi was most certainly not an ally at all. In fact, Jiraiya was glaring at the man is if he were Konoha's worst enemy. That still left several questions to be answered, but Naruto figured he'd learn in a moment.

"Tell me," Jiraiya said, his voice brooking no argument, "I wish to know. Was this all the work of Aizen Sousuke?"

A smile actually curled on Shigi's lips as he dragged himself into a kneeling position, "So sharp, as always, Jiraiya-sama. Yet…so naïve…"

Fire lit up over the floors, reaching a meter tall instantly, as if it had been burning for half an hour. Shigi turned his gaze over to Naruto, "We shall meet again."

Without another word, Shigi leapt backwards into the flames and vanished from sight. At hearing Jiraiya sigh, Naruto looked up at his sensei questioningly. Jiraiya shook his head and turned around. Naruto followed after him and the two of them vanished into the shadows of the night.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach or Cowboy Bebop (The Cat story)**

**Naruto did get some training done, but it happened off-screen. No one actually wants to read about his training when the action-packed, realistic ANBU missions are more exciting, right? For those of you who would ask, no, he won't be ANBU much longer. He quits right after he gets home. Yuugao's death hit him hard.  
1.) — Naruto uses Bankai so often because he often faces enemies he wants to **_**crush**_**.  
2.) — Zettaireido (Absolute Zero) is a Bankai attack that will appear in the sequel.**

**And those who picked it out get a cookie and a pat on the back. The missions were all based on Tenchu Z. I had particular fun with that game and thought it appropriate for "Naruto Gaiden". No, I don't own Tenchu Z either. **

_**Hic veni, da mihi mortem iterum… (Come here, give me death once more)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	15. Chapter VIII: B Side

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Eight: Twilight Sea**

** — o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The large, thick wooden doors opened with a loud, agonized creek, revealing the lively village of Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village. Five figures stepped through the gate, three dressed in black and the fourth dressed in red and green with long white hair. The fifth member was dressed in an extravagant but dirty white kimono. The moment they had entered, one of the figures turned to another and bowed.

"Taichô," Hawk said respectfully, "I must report to Hokage-sama."

"Go ahead, Kimimaro," Naruto said. As Kimimaro straightened and leapt onto a rooftop, Naruto cupped a hand over his mouth and yelled. "And I'm not your Taichô anymore!"

A chuckle from one of his other companions brought the full force of Naruto's glare, "You find something funny, Niisan?"

"Not at all," Itachi assured him unconvincingly, waving his hand dismissively. "I am merely admiring the depth of Kaguya-san's loyalty."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto jumped up onto a tall, thick wooden signpost and took a deep breath as he spread his arms wide. Eyes bright, he took in the view of his beloved village, the very village he had left nearly two and a half years ago to get some training done. He laughed suddenly, a broad grin stretching his lips, "I've missed this place!"

"He's certainly cheerful today," Jiraiya muttered under his breath.

"Maybe so," Mitsunari said, the amusement in his voice clear, "but we wouldn't have him any other way."

Eyes alight, the blonde continued, "It hasn't changed a bit!"

Naruto suddenly blinked as he caught sight of the Hokage monument, then grinned, "So they've added Tsunade-baachan's ugly mug to the mountain, huh? Heh!"

"You've certainly grown a lot," a familiar voice commented. Naruto looked back to find a silver-haired Jônin that he'd recognize in his sleep, "haven't you, Naruto-kun?"

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto leapt off the pole and landed on the steel awning next to his previous teacher. "You haven't changed at all! Still reading Ero-sennin's dirty books, eh?"

Naruto's eyebrows jumped up, "That reminds me."

He rummaged around in his kunai pouch before pulling out a familiar orange book with a different and new title. Kakashi grabbed it eagerly, caressing the hard spine gently as Naruto explained, "It's the latest in the series. The newest one in three years; Icha Icha Tactics. I didn't like it that much, but I think you'll get more enjoyment out of it than I did."

A giggle reached Naruto's ears and he spun around, locking gazes with a pair of soft lavender eyes. In an instant, he had moved to their owner, Hyuga Hinata, and swept her into his arms, showering her face with kisses. She stopped him, and for a moment, he was afraid he had done something wrong. Then she pressed her lips to his in a mind-blowing kiss that sent his brain reeling.

Her lips were incredibly soft and moist and he could distinctly taste cinnamon, too. It was a passionate kiss filled with love and happiness and a touch of sadness. She had obviously missed him greatly during his long time away. He hesitated slightly, but she didn't seem to notice. Should he tell her about Yuugao?

No, he decided firmly. Yuugao was dead and gone and no good would come of mentioning what he had done for her; the physical comfort he had given. Yuugao was gone and he would not stain her memory with hate, jealousy, and betrayal. What he had done for her and with her would remain secret.

When his lungs began to burn, Naruto pulled back and gazed lovingly at Hinata's flushed face, smiling brightly. As she let him go, he placed one more kiss on her forehead and stepped back to admire her growth. And growth was indeed the correct term to apply to the changes Hinata had gone through.

Though Naruto wasn't the tallest person in the world, he was about level with Kakashi and Hinata was only a few centimeters shorter than him, her eyes on level with his nose. She had filled out considerably and had smooth, womanly curves the like of which Anko would be jealous. Her breasts were bigger than he remembered, but they weren't obscenely large like Tsunade's, and her hair reached down to the middle of her back.

Her attire had changed drastically, though he did note that it fit a taijutsu user like her much better than her old clothes did. The black top was sleeveless and stopped just a few centimeters above to top of her pants, revealing the skin-tight white undershirt that the black top hid. Her pants were black as well and clung to her legs like a second skin, cut off just slightly above her knees. He could see black gloves poking out of her pocket.

"I missed you," he said softly. "You're my lifeline."

A voice spoke up and Naruto could practically feel the sarcasm dripping from it, "Well, it certainly seems like Naruto's closer to reviving his clan than I am reviving mine."

A blush lighting up his cheeks, Naruto turned and stuck his tongue out at Sasuke, "At least I'm not some stuck up idiot who can't get a clue!"

Whatever else the blonde planned on saying died in his throat as he caught sight of Sakura hanging off of Sasuke's arm, obviously just back from a date, and glaring at him. Sasuke merely tilted his head back and smirked victoriously, as if to say, 'You were saying?' Naruto simply waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"So," he smirked, "what have _you_ two been up to for the past two and a half years? Can I expect any godchildren?"

A vicious blush lit up Sasuke and Sakura's faces, coloring their pale cheeks a violent red. Naruto resisted the urge to leer. One point to him.

"Oh," Hinata chimed in, "but how would that work? Isn't Sakura the current midwife at the hospital? She'd probably have quite a bit of difficulty delivering her own baby."

Laughing as Sasuke and Sakura's blushes spread further and darkened, Naruto said, "Okay, that's enough. We've tortured them enough for now."

"Jiraiya," Tsunade walked up from behind her teammate, gazing fondly at the assemble group as they continued to bicker and joke, "Naruto's become more like you these past couple years, hasn't he?"

Jiraiya refrained from answering, causing Tsunade to sigh, "The nostalgia ends here, though. Kakashi…"

The book in the Copy Ninja's hand snapped shut, catching the attention of the five teens, who looked at him, Team Seven in surprise. Suddenly serious, he said, "Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, Sakura-san. From now on, you three will be coming with me on team-related missions. It's different than before. It's not Teacher and Pupil any longer. Starting today, we're considered equal. Naruto, you especially, considering you were promoted to Jônin last year."

"Wait," Sasuke said, looking at Kakashi skeptically, "Naruto was promoted to Jônin? Isn't there some sort of exam or something for that?"

"No," Kakashi said, shaking his head slightly, "Jônin are appointed, not selected from an exam. Generally, you have to do something to prove you're Jônin level before you can earn the rank, but the Hokage can promote whoever he or she deems fit (within reason). Speaking of which, Naruto, what _did_ you do to get promoted?"

Naruto grinned viciously, "I mastered the Rasengan."

Kakashi's visible eye widened, "Did you…?"

Naruto nodded, answering the unfinished question, "Shape and Elemental manipulation. It took me three months."

Blinking, Kakashi cleared his throat noisily, "Right, like I said, you guys are considered equal from this point on."

Kakashi reached into his pocket, pulling out two bells, "But first…well, I'm curious as to how you guys have come along. The rules are the same as before. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you won't be able to get the bells."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all smirked.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The clearing was familiar, almost painfully so. The three training logs sat stock still amidst the short grass and the patches of bare dirt. The river was quiet, but could still be heard if one sat down and listened to it. It trickled along at its own pace, ignorant of the wildlife around it and uncaring of the four humans who stood a short distance away.

"You guys know the rules," Kakashi repeated, standing with his book open once more. "You have until sunrise tomorrow to take these bells from me."

A thought seemed to strike Kakashi, "Ah, that's right. This is the place where we, Team Seven, first trained, isn't it? Ironic, huh?"

The orange book snapped shut, "Well, then. Shall we begin? Oh, right. Naruto, no Bankai."

Naruto's eyebrow twitched, which Kakashi seemed to notice, "You know as well as I that using that in this place will be too noticeable. Plus…well, I'd prefer not to explain why I'm in the hospital frozen solid."

Naruto's lips suddenly quirked into a smirk, "You're not going to read the book this time, Kakashi-sensei?"

"No. I get the feeling," Kakashi lifted his headband up, revealing the swirling red Sharingan in his left eye, "I'm going to have to take you three seriously."

"Coming from the legendary Copy Ninja," Sasuke said, smirking as his own eyes flashed red, "I suppose we should take that as a compliment."

Sakura slipped on a pair of gloves, "You sure you can take this, Kakashi-sensei?"

Naruto drew his sword, point down, twirling it in his fingers until he had it in the correct grip. The metal of his hitai-ate glinted from his right biceps, an eager grin twitching at the corner of his lips but not revealing itself, "Let's see just how far two and a half years has allowed me to advance, eh, Aibô?"

Kakashi closed his right eye and all was suddenly silent on the nearly abandoned training ground. Then, in a flash, Sasuke dug into his shuriken holster and let loose four of the tiny black throwing stars. Kakashi ducked, allowing the metal stars to zip over top of his head with several centimeters of clearance.

Fluidly, he moved back up, twisting around and throwing out a backhand. With a clang, Naruto's shimmering silvery sword clashed with the thin dense plate on the back of Kakashi's black glove. Twisting once more, Kakashi suddenly moved away, releasing the muscles in his arm. Naruto stumbled forward slightly without the resistance and Kakashi leapt away as a tremor split the earth where he had just been standing.

Growling lightly, Naruto swung his sword, releasing a beastly dragon that roared as it soared towards the grey-haired Jônin. Scowling in determination beneath his mask, Kakashi flipped through three hand seals and held his hand out as the dragon came closer. Lightning danced along his hand as the beast's nose came down, splattering on contact with the volatile electricity.

Dipping his other hand into his kunai pouch, Kakashi spun around once more, blocking the slash of Sasuke's full length katana. Taking advantage of Sasuke's occupied hands, Kakashi lashed out with a kick that the black haired boy tried to dodge. It collided anyway, with enough force to knock the Uchiha back quite a distance, but it hadn't been as direct a hit as the Jônin had intended.

Flipping backwards, Kakashi watched as Sakura stumbled over her own feet, overextending her punch because there wasn't a body there to receive it. Landing behind her, he hit her with a solid palm strike, which sent her into the arms Sasuke as he tried to renew his charge. Both lost their balance and fell onto the ground.

Jumping up, Kakashi leapt over another dragon, using his chakra manipulation skills to jump off of the beast and dodge the bolt of white lightning that passed just barely under his feet. Reaching once more into his kunai pouch, he threw it with all his strength towards his blonde colleague (and Naruto had indeed earned the right to be a colleague). It was easily fended off.

Kakashi ducked under two more shuriken, watching as Naruto effortlessly batted them away (with his bare hands, no less). He lashed out with a sweeping backwards kick, which Sasuke jumped over and Sakura blocked. Twisting, he brought his other foot slamming into her shoulder, sending her back several meters.

Standing back up, he dropped his shoulder and let Sasuke's sword fly past his face. Grabbing the boy's exposed wrist, he threw the Uchiha across the clearing and into a tree. Twisting again, he brought his hand up, Naruto's blade scraping against the metal of the plated glove. Kakashi's eyes went wide, however, when a glowing palm was held in front of his face.

"Hadô no Sanjuusan," Naruto said calmly, "Sôkatsui."

There was an explosion of blue fire, sending several wooden chunks sprawling all over the clearing. They stopped moving after rolling several times, smoking lightly from the heat and power used to splinter the wooden log. Naruto felt his lips twitch in eagerness and no small amount of pride.

Turning around, Naruto smirked at Kakashi, who was staring at him seriously, though his posture was relaxed. Holding his sword up, Naruto spoke four words that sent a chill down Kakashi's spine, "Ten wo Tôjiro, Hyôrinmaru." (Rule the Heavens, Ice Ring)

As soon as the words left his lips, the sword in his hands transformed. The blade was thin and long, but wider than a normal Tsurugi. The blade itself looked to be made of blue crystal, but it was (obviously) densely packed ice, which, Kakashi was sure, was hard as diamond. It was straight and double edged, glistening in the midday sun.

The hilt had changed as well, from a golden hand guard to two sapphire prongs shaped vaguely reminiscent of broken glass. The hilt itself was also crystalline and smooth, colored a mesmerizing blue not unlike Naruto's eyes. There was an aura about the entire thing, an aura that spoke of power, "Hyôrinmaru Nishiki." (Hyôrinmaru Second Style)

Shifting his grip, Naruto jabbed his sword into the ground. Immediately, spikes of hard ice jutted out of the ground, continuing to pop up at a rapid and dangerous pace in a straight row as they headed for the silver-haired Jônin. Kakashi, recognizing the danger, leapt up and over his blonde comrade, watching as the spikes pierced through a tree and immediately froze it.

His escape was cut short as Naruto tore off one of the prongs on his hilt and it lengthened into a spike that he then threw. Taking a deep breath, Kakashi flashed through hand seals and blew out a large fireball into the air, propelling him out of the spike's path and towards the ground. He flipped in midair and landed with a harsh thud that sent pain lancing up his legs.

As Kakashi leaned backwards to avoid the vicious stab Naruto had aimed at his head, he became alarmed at the sound of fabric being cut by something very sharp, something he would have missed were he anyone else. He looked down at his waist, but was too late to stop Sakura from grabbing the two bells that Sasuke had cut free.

And then, Kakashi laughed, "Okay, okay, I lost. You guys deserve this."

Standing straight as Naruto sheathed his sword, Kakashi reached into his kunai pouch and grabbed something. Sakura and Naruto moved a bit closer to get a better look but Sasuke was being his usual self and only peering out of the corner of his eye. Opening his palm, Kakashi revealed three perfectly shaped gems.

"These," he explained as he handed one to each of his students, "are gems mined and cut specifically for ninja. Look at the patterns they give off when they reflect light and tell me what you see."

"I see a hexagon," Naruto said, squinting slightly as he examined the oval-shaped, sapphire blue gem in his hand.

"I see a pentagon," Sasuke said tonelessly, looking at his gem dispassionately.

"Me too," Sakura told them, peering at her gem like it was a crystal ball.

"Naruto, Jiraiya told you how chakra paper is made, right?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded. "These gems are made essentially the same way. However, because they are non-living, they retain the energy they absorb instead of using it and, eventually, gain special abilities. The type and quality of the gem determines what these abilities are. These particular gemstones are called Protect Gems, which are made from sapphires, and amplify your skin to make it harder to damage.

"In other words, these gems protect you from other elemental jutsu; in particular, the ones that cause damage to the skin and surface of the body. Fire jutsu are a good example. They cannot, however, protect you from the paralyzing effects of lightning chakra. The quality of the gem determines its strength, and quality can be observed by how it reflects light. An S Class stone has a hexagon pattern, an A Class stone has a star pattern, a Class B stone has a pentagonal pattern, and so on and so forth. S Class stones, I've heard, can negate all elemental Jutsu C-rank and below."

"Wicked," Naruto whispered. "So how do they work?"

"Simple," Kakashi eye-smiled, unzipping his vest a little to show a hexagon-patterned gem hanging around his neck, "you have to wear them."

Sasuke looked appalled at the idea, but Naruto ignored him and continued to ask questions, "So every ninja has one of these stones?"

"No," Kakashi shook his head. "They're rare and abundant at the same time. Out of all the Elemental countries, Chakra Gems can only be found in the Land of Earth and — by default — Iwagakure, the Land of Wind and Sunagakure, and the Land of Fire and Konoha. Different gems are found in different countries, too. As I understand it, Iwagakure has more Spirit Gems, which allows them to more easily manipulate chakra and the elements, earth in particular. We have more Protect Gems and Suna has more Power Gems."

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura interrupted, "I don't understand. How can they be rare and abundant at the same time?"

"They're rare, in that they can only be found in those three countries," Kakashi explained. "However, they're abundant in that Konoha mines enough of them to supply to about half of the ninja on the active duty roster. They're important enough, though, that only Jônin are issued them and can decide to give them to Chûnin and below."

"Why us, then?" Sasuke asked. "Why are we being given these gems if they're so precious?"

"Orders," Kakashi shrugged. "Tsunade told me that, if you guys could take the bells, you were skilled enough to merit having one. Naruto gets the S Class one because he's earned Jônin and you two are still Chûnin."

Looking up at the sun, Kakashi suddenly stood straight and stretched slightly, saying, "Right. Well, I've got to report to Tsunade, so I'll see you guys later!"

He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto's stomach rumbled, "Ah, man, I'm hungry! You two have fun. I'm going to find Hinata-chanand grab a bite to eat!"

He leapt towards the trees and looked ready to take off, but paused, as thinking about something. He turned slightly and grinned, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do! I'm too young to be a godfather!"

As Sakura and Sasuke blushed furiously, he cackled and disappeared into the foliage, Sakura's outraged yell echoing after him.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The streets seemed particularly busy as Naruto walked down them, Hinata on his right. People were crowded on the dirt roads, some walking in one direction, others walking in the opposite direction. Some were even foolish enough to carry large stacks of objects that they, at best, could barely see over. Those people seemed unnaturally lucky, as none of them had managed to drop their piles (whether it was merchandise for a store or stuff they had bought).

Some of the people greeted the trio brightly, others even went so far as to address the blonde as 'Naruto-sama' or 'Naruto-denka' (Hinata, of course, received much the same treatment). Very few of the many villagers scowled at him or scorned him, and even those that did quailed under Hinata's glare.

"So, you up for some Ichiraku's?" he asked his companion with a charming smile. "It's been a while since we've gone there together. I'm pretty sure Ayame's in tears, and Teuchi-jiisan is probably broke without their best customer."

Hinata giggled, "Sure. But, as a proper gentleman, you have to pay for everything."

As Naruto's smile drooped slightly in a mock pout, Hinata added, "It's only proper that the man pay for the meal on a date, Naruto-kun. That means that you have to cater to my appetite."

Giving an exaggerated sigh, Naruto slung his arms over her shoulders and said, "How can I ever say 'no' to the most beautiful girl in the village? I swear, the odds are stacked against me. Does a guy ever win an argument against a woman?"

"If you truly have to ask that, then you haven't grown nearly as much as I've heard," a familiar lazy voice said. Naruto looked up to see Shikamaru, the ever volatile Temari walking next to him with her large fan strapped to her back. Shikamaru smirked. "For such a clueless and oblivious guy, it's ironic that you managed to snag one of the most eligible bachelorettes in the country."

Naruto's lips twitched into a smirk as well, his hands moving downwards to wrap around Hinata's waist, "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

Shikamaru chuckled, "Right."

Looking around dramatically, the blonde stage whispered, "So, are you guys on a date, too?"

"Y-you're joking!" Temari sputtered, her cheeks stained red. "Why would I go out with such a…! There's a Chûnin Exam, soon. I'm just going back and forth between Konoha and Suna for meetings!"

"And it's troublesome, but I've become an Examiner," Shikamaru said dully, "so I was told to go and see off the messengers from Hidden Sand."

"A Chunin Exam?" Naruto asked. He smiled fondly. "That sure brings back memories."

"Mm," Hinata leaned up and pecked the blonde on the cheek, "it certainly does."

Squeezing her hip lightly, Naruto turned his attention back to the lazy ninja, "So, how far has everyone else come? Sasuke and Sakura are Chûnin, but I haven't heard how far everyone else got."

"Well, everyone from our class has made Chûnin," Shikamaru told him. "Plus, Hyuga Neji from the class above us, Kankuro from the Sand, and Temari here have already made Jônin. And so have you, from what I've heard. I'd ask how you managed to do something like that, but sitting here and listening to you explain it would be far too troublesome."

"Wait," Naruto said, "then…what happened to Gaara?"

Shikamaru's lips curled into a smirk, "You're going to have trouble believing this, but…"

Naruto's mind stopped working for a second, "You're kidding. Gaara's the Kazekage?"

"Yep," the lazy Chûnin said, "and well liked, from what I understand."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The large, spacious hall was quiet and almost empty. Team Seven stood awaiting a mission to be assigned, Tsunade rustling through each scroll and trying to find one that suited such high skill level. Naruto was fidgeting slightly, his black-gloved right hand clenching and unclenching, as if eager to wield a sword.

Sasuke stood impassively, his arms folded over his chest and his eyes dull and dispassionate. Sakura was staring off into space, her mind wandering to other things and places in her boredom. Kakashi was, predictably (at least his students thought so) reading his oh-so-important little orange book, not letting on that he was alert and focused.

There was a series of pounding footsteps as well as several sharp pants as a pair of heavy oak doors on the side of the room burst open, a haggard woman gasping for breath as she shouted out to the entire group, "Tsunade-sama! It's bad! An organization called Akatsuki has kidnapped Sunagakure's Kazekage-sama!"

Tsunade sighed, suddenly turning deadly serious, "Team Seven, you have a new mission. You are to leave and go immediately to the Hidden Sand Village, find out what the situation is, and then relay it back to here. After that, you are to follow the Sand's instructions and back them up on their endeavor."

She snapped her fingers and a single ANBU was suddenly in the room, kneeling to her with his head bowed in submission. Not turning the slightest, Tsunade addressed him, "Itachi, as a former member of Akatsuki, you know their moves and tactics best. Get dressed back in your normal wear and meet Team Seven at the gates. Your mission is the same as theirs."

Removing his mask, Itachi nodded dutifully, "Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Barely fifteen minutes later found the whole group standing at the gate, packs slung over their backs as they turned around to address the blonde Hokage. Naruto saluted, tucking two necklaces into his sleeveless, zippered, turtleneck vest (one the Shodai's necklace, and the other a thin cord with a blue gem hanging from it).

Iruka smiled, "Do your best."

"Yo!" Everyone spun around to see Jiraiya standing in the path. "Off on a mission, eh, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded firmly, his face etched with unwavering determination. Jiraiya acknowledged his silent answer absently, "Um, more importantly, Tsunade, something terrible has happened. The Sand's Kazekage—"

"I know," Tsunade said gravely. She gestured to the group of five. "That's where I'm sending this motley crew. I got the message not too long ago."

Jiraiya sighed, "Naruto, be careful when it comes to the Akatsuki. I know you can handle yourself well enough — you didn't make Jônin for nothing — but nine on one isn't very good odds."

Naruto's eyes were cold and icy, the blonde's version of blazing anger, "They're after me for whatever reasons they have. This time, I'm going after them."

Jiraiya sighed again, "I know, Naruto, just…Make me a promise. Promise me that you won't use _that_ jutsu unless you don't have anything else you can do. I know you _can_ do it, but you've nowhere near _mastered_ it, especially with the additions you've made. The chakra consumption that it takes from you is only good for three shots."

Naruto looked down for a moment, then stared Jiraiya square in the eye, "I promise. I don't like it, but I promise."

Nodding, the white-haired man turned to one of the dark-haired ninja, "Itachi. Make sure Naruto sticks to his promise. The last thing we need is for him to use it and for Hidden Stone to find out."

Itachi's face was grim, "I understand."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Chiyo frowned, gazing sadly down at the young boy before her, "Poison is my specialty, but even I don't know this one. Sasori has grown quite a lot."

"What should we do?" Baki asked her.

"The only one who has more knowledge of neutralizing poisons than me is the Slug Sennin of Konoha, Tsunade-hime," Chiyo admitted. "During the great war, she could analyze my poisons and fix up an antidote almost instantly. That was rather embarrassing for me. All you can do is call her and ask her to analyze him. You're allied to Konoha now, aren't you?"

"Yes, but…Tsunade-hime is Hokage now, which means that she can't easily leave her village, can she?" Baki said. "Even so…Even if she comes here herself, it takes three whole days to reach the Hidden Sand Village from Konoha. But…but in that case…we don't have the time to wait that long."

He sighed, "For now, we have sent a request to Konoha for a specialist team. It's taking all of our strength just to wait for them to arrive."

"Hmph!" Chiyo scoffed. "Stop relying on other people! You're so dependent on your alliances with other countries, you've become careless in your training, and this is what becomes of it!"

"Becoming dependent," Baki muttered, "that is by no means what we intended to do."

"Why are you dependent and relying on Konoha? Because you didn't put advancement of your own village's power as your first priority!" Chiyo said heatedly. "They are them, we are us! Friendly alliances are just a fabrication! During times like these, all they can do is send us useless underlings. The main point is that…I can't stand that slug woman!"

"Kankuro!" a female voice cried. Six people rushed into the room: two blondes (one female, one male), two raven-haired boys (who just _had_ to be brothers), a pink haired girl, and one tall, masked, grey haired man. Upon seeing the gray-haired man, the last to enter the room, Chiyo's eyes went wide and her mouth curled into a scowl.

"The White Fang of Konoha!" she snarled.

The tall Jônin only had a moment to register her words before she leapt at him with a furious punch. The blond boy, however, had already moved before she could hit him and grabbed both of her fists. With a vicious scowl, he let go of her left hand and moved past her guard as she overextended, landing a harsh palm-strike just beneath her collarbone.

"What the hell are you thinking?" he yelled. "Attacking Kakashi-sensei out of the blue!"

"I remember that time," she said darkly, "Konoha's White Fang…my son's hated enemy…and today, I will get revenge for him!"

Kakashi waved his hands, "Wait a minute! I'm not—!"

"There's no use arguing!" Chiyo shouted angrily.

An old man stepped in front of her, holding his arm out to stop her from dashing forward, "Sister, take a look. There's a strong resemblance, but he isn't Konoha's White Fang."

Chiyo arched an eyebrow in confusion, staring at Kakashi, then broke out in loud cackles, "No way! I knew that! I was just pretending to be stupid!"

"More importantly," the pink haired Sakura said, "Kankuro-san needs to be taken care of quickly!"

Hands glowing with green chakra, Sakura pressed one against his flesh and stretched the other away from his stomach, taking with it globs of dark liquid. She smiled, the dark substance floating above her palm, "Got it!"

The glow faded, "I don't think there's any need to worry anymore. I've removed the poison directly. Now, I have to make an antidote for the little bit left in his body. We can't relax yet. Please gather what I ask for."

"You're a lot like that slug woman," Chiyo said quietly. "That a girl like you would come…"

"That's because Tsunade-sama is my teacher," Sakura said brightly. "And she said that I should come here."

"Sister," the old man said, "time really is slowly flowing by…"

"We have to get moving, though," Naruto said firmly. Chiyo grabbed Sakura by the arm and led her out the door, presumably to find herbs and such. Naruto noted it absently. "As soon as Sakura is done, we need to go after Gaara and the Akatsuki."

"Hold on a moment, Naruto-kun," Itachi said. The gray-haired Jônin nodded gratefully. "We still have a few things that we need to do before we follow after the Akatsuki. We can't just go about, blindly searching for any trace of our enemy. We need to gather a little bit of information, first."

The Copy-nin gave Itachi a thankful look. Naruto was truly a good shinobi, strong and clever, capable of feats of power that sometimes left Kakashi wide-eyed. When it came to his friends, however, nothing was more important than their safety. The blonde would jump into the pits of Hell to pull them back, if need be.

"Do you know where they might have gone?" Sasuke asked Itachi.

The older Uchiha shook his head, "There are several different bases they could have fled to. Trusting me to find them would not be a good idea, as I have no clue where to start looking. Our best bet is to track their trail and follow them. If it was indeed Deidara and Sasori, they will be eager to stay behind and engage us."

Kakashi turned to Baki, "Excuse me, what happened to the pursuit of the Akatsuki after Kankuro-kun's fight?"

"Kankuro went alone," Baki informed him. "There were no others."

Kakashi frowned, "Then we've completely lost them?"

Baki looked down, "Yes, we have."

"Then," the gray-haired man began, "could you lead me to where he fought? The site of his battle? Though I might not look it, I'm an expert in pursuit and tracking. If even the smallest trace of their scent was left behind…"

"That's…not necessary," Kankuro sat up weakly. "There are two of them. One abducted Gaara, so you should follow Gaara's scent. Even assuming they split up, the second one caught a bit of clothing on Karasu's hand."

"Making a success from a failure," Kakashi murmured, "you are indeed a shinobi of the Sand."

"Kankuro," Chiyo was back, "are you absolutely sure that one of the men you followed was Sasori?"

Kankuro looked down, "Yeah. He was Akasuna no Sasori all right. He said so himself."

The door opened and Sakura walked back in, holding a teapot on a small tray. Setting it down on a stone nightstand, she poured the strange substance inside it into a teacup, then handed it to Kankuro, saying, "Here. Drink it all up."

He gulped it down quickly, shuddering at the taste as Sakura continued, "You should be fine now. Until the paralysis ends, however, you shouldn't be moving. You need to get some sleep."

"Let's go, now," Naruto said firmly. "We need to get a move on."

Sakura glared at him and picked up her backpack. Sasuke squashed the glare with his own words, "The idiot's right. Nothing can be accomplished simply by sitting around here and hoping for the best. Let's go."

"They're right," Itachi threw in. "The Akatsuki will take what they want from Kazekage-sama and then throw him away. The extraction process takes a while, but that doesn't buy us nearly enough time to sit around and discuss everything. We need to get going."

The entire group nodded at that and turned to leave.

"Uzumaki…no Namikaze Naruto," Kankuro's voice stopped the blond in his tracks. "Please, save my brother."

There was a pause, a dark, dramatic pause, at those words. The temperature in the room — normally very warm or at least temperate because of the desert — suddenly dropped down to an almost impossible low. Cold fury was palpable, and Kankuro could taste his own fear in the thick air.

"Konoha's Ryûjin is not someone to be merciful against his most hated enemies," Naruto said without turning, his voice icy. There was a presence to him, something that Kankuro decided he could have gone his entire life without feeling and be the happiest man on the planet. "I _will_ bring Gaara back. And I _will_ kill the men who took him."

The room temperature took a steep nosedive, "That's a _promise_."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The ground was soaked as they came upon the Akatsuki's mysterious cave, the water easily knee deep at the very least. The group of six, however, landed atop the water and stood there quite easily: Hatake Kakashi, Namikaze Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi, and the old woman, Chiyo.

Team Gai was already standing in front of the cave, breaking their gazes from the large stone boulder that guarded the entrance. Tenten's face took on a brief expression of longing at the sight of Naruto, but as she caught the look on his face, worry glanced over her features. The blonde was scowling darkly, his hand clenching anxiously. His rage and killing intent was barely restrained and his pupils had already become slits.

Gai smirked in a friendly manner, "You're late, Kakashi."

"Well," Kakashi replied smoothly, "we ran into a bit of trouble on the way. Itachi said his name was Hidan."

"Naruto-kun!" Lee said excitedly. "Sakura-san!"

"Right!" Gai said confidently. He turned to the large boulder. "Let's do it, Kakashi!"

They never had the chance to even try, however, before the sudden feeling of paralysis flooded their limbs. It wasn't Kanashibari no Jutsu, it was far too potent to be something so easily broken out of. No, this feeling was that of a powerful beast, a dragon the likes of which could cleave steel with his teeth.

"He's dead," Naruto said, exhaling shakily. The entire group had frozen. "His spiritual pressure just vanished. There are still some Reishi lingering about, but that's all it is. Gaara is…Gaara's dead."

His fists clenched and the sky darkened, "They…they…I…I won't let them…I won't…I won't let them get away with this!"

His hands were a blur, moving so fast that only Itachi could see which seals he was using. There was a crack like thunder as he finished and several of the shinobi present cringed as the blonde's bones popped and his muscles tore, becoming denser, stronger beneath his skin. A single black-feathered wing bloomed from his right shoulder, folded against his body. Something new happened, however, and his sunny blonde hair paled into bright silver, retaining its spikiness.

The transformation complete, Naruto looked down at his hand, his voice deep, smooth, and seductive as he spoke, "Sixty percent."

He lifted cyan eyes with slit pupils to glare at the rock before him, "A five seal barrier…? This won't stop me."

He drew his sword and Kakashi watched as it became the strange ice sword again with the simple verbal command of, "Hyôrinmaru Nishiki."

With a dangerous look on his face, Naruto slashed at the boulder once, his blade moving in a diagonal arc. There were a few seconds of silence as everyone waited for something to happen, then the paper seal split in half and fell to the ground, followed a mere second later by a bisected boulder. Everyone's eyes were wide as the darkness of the cave glared at them.

Kakashi leaned over to Itachi, "Is this the jutsu…?"

"No," Itachi shook his head, "but I don't think Jiraiya-sama knew it would go this far."

As sunlight slowly revealed the large cave, two vaguely human sized figures could be seen in the dark, one sitting and one hunched over. A third figure lay on the ground, sat upon by the first man and motionless. A large bird stood a few meters away from the mismatched trio, staring at the Konoha group with wide, unnatural eyes.

"Well then," the first man said, his blond hair obscuring his left eye, "which one of you is the Jinchuriki, I wonder?"

"So you are the Akatsuki," Naruto raised his hand and dark clouds formed, blocking out the sun. It wasn't a question. "Not bad…for trash."

"I'll take this one," the hunched man said. "After all, you—"

"No," Naruto said calmly. His cyan eyes were blazing with hatred and power. "You're not the one I want. I'll get to you soon enough. No…I want the blonde one. I can smell it in the air…you're the one that took Gaara."

The blonde grinned, "Yeah. So?"

The blonde began to move, but before he could so much as touch the clay bird beside him, Naruto had vanished, reappearing with his sword pierced through the unnatural avian. In an instant, the entire creature had frozen over. Naruto's lips twitched as he turned, "Now, now. We can't have you escaping, can we?"

Leaping forward, Naruto spun around and launched a vertical kick that the blonde Deidara easily blocked. Naruto arched an eyebrow, "Well, it seems you do indeed have some sort of skill."

Using the block as leverage, Naruto jumped over top of Deidara's head and kicked him in the back of the skull with his heel, knocking the effeminate man to the ground with a loud thud. Wheeling around quickly, he brought up his foot and slammed it down onto the back of Deidara's hand with a loud crunch. Or he would have, if the blonde had still been there.

A clay bird came soaring towards him, but all Naruto did was hold out his palm and whisper three words. A ball of blue fire shot forward, colliding with the bird midway and exploding in a shower of thick dirt. Fluidly, his arm moved and his sword cut through air, slicing a kunai in half as well.

Naruto swung, releasing a giant blue dragon of water at his enemy. Deidara leapt up over the beast as it came towards him, splashing violently against the floor of the cave and coating the dirt in water and ice. He wasn't done, however, and a spike of ice leapt from the teen's hand, cutting through the air.

Surprised and caught off guard by the jagged spike of frozen liquid, Deidara didn't dodge fast enough to escape its full wrath. A thin line cut itself on his left cheek, drawing several small globs of red blood. Scowling for the first time during the entire battle, the blonde reached up with his hand and wiped the blood away furiously.

"Sensei," Sakura whispered quietly, eyes wide, "why is Naruto like this?"

"It's the Jutsu," Itachi explained before Kakashi could say anything. "Naruto-kun has an 'inner beast', of sorts, that has nothing to do with the Kyuubi no Youko. By drawing from this beast's energy, which is separate from his own, Naruto-kun can do the things we know as Shikai and Bankai."

"However," Kakashi broke in, continuing where Itachi left off, "there is also a style of Jutsu called 'Sage Jutsu', which involve taking Chakra in from the environment, called Nature Chakra, and using that to fuel techniques. Only those who have trained with the toads can accurately accomplish this."

"Naruto, however," Itachi said, "has found a way around that limitation. Instead of drawing on Nature Chakra like Jiraiya-sama, Naruto draws on the energy from his inner beast. By doing so, his form changes and shifts, becoming more and more draconic in nature. The slit pupils and silver hair are the most prime examples."

"So Naruto acts this way because of the technique he used earlier?" Sasuke asked disbelievingly.

"To put it simply, yes," Kakashi replied. "To be more accurate, no. It is said that all dragons have one hundred scales dedicated to good and evil. Seventy five of those scales are devoted to good, twenty five devoted to evil. While most dragons go through life without being affected by the evil, that evil is strong enough that you _don't_ want to anger a dragon."

"To cut this entire explanation down to its root meaning," Itachi said, "this Jutsu, while powerful, brings out the darkness in Naruto-kun's own heart. At fifty percent, he fights to enjoy the battle. At sixty percent, he likes to toy with his foes. We never want to see the full one hundred percent."

Naruto wasted no time in attacking once more, driving his sword as hard as he possibly could through the man's black cloaked torso. Ice began to spread from the wound, creeping up over the blonde's body at a frightening rate. At the last second, however, his lips curled into a smirk and his body expanded and exploded.

Naruto reappeared several meters away, unharmed without a single hair or thread out of place. A scowl was planted firmly on his face, his cyan eyes scanning the cave for a sign of the blonde menace whom he hated with a passion. A growl tumbled past his lips before he could stop it as a large bird swooped out of the cavern, swallowing Gaara.

An instant later, Naruto had flown after it, rushing to catch up to the large yellow beast. Shaken from the stupor that had taken hold of her during the battle and Kakashi and Itachi's explanation, Tenten followed after, calling out his name as she spoke her sword's command phrase.

As Naruto followed Deidara, hopping from tree to tree, his enemy left no openings. There was no chance for attack, no opportunity to strike and knock the large avian made of clay out of the air. Tenten trailed behind him, struggling to keep up with his inhuman pace and begging him to wait for her.

But Naruto could hear nothing, save for the harsh sound of the wind blowing past his ears. Gaara was dead. _Dead_. He wasn't coming back. Gaara was dead and it was the fault of this stupid blonde man called Deidara. But Akatsuki hadn't counted on something when they'd targeted the redhead. They hadn't counted on the strength of Naruto's ire. And that simple, small miscalculation would be their downfall, the cause of their defeat, Naruto would _make sure of it_.

Glaring, the teen shinobi known as Ryûjin swung his sword, releasing a large blue dragon that soared toward Deidara with a silent roar. Alarmed at the visage of the beast, the blonde's eye widened considerably and he leapt from the bird, watching as the dragon tore his perfect creation into bits. Naruto leapt up and grabbed the avian's falling beak, which contained Gaara, falling and landing softly on a branch in the middle of the forest.

Unfortunately for Deidara, he wasn't prepared for the second Naruto that appeared behind him, the only warning a soft swish and the sound of his sword slicing through air. Deidara turned and tried to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough to escape the wrath of Naruto's crystalline blade and his right arm was severed just below the shoulder.

Flipping away from Naruto, Deidara landed unsteadily on a tree branch, scowling and glaring at his enemy. He was fortunate that ice had started to consume him from where his arm had been cut off. If it hadn't he would have quickly bled to death and the only one who could have saved him would be less than inclined to do so.

This boy…he was a lot stronger than the Akatsuki had given him credit for. Pein had insisted that, no matter how important to their plans he was, the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Youko wasn't any real threat to them. He had gone to train with Jiraiya for a few years, but what could a few years do against a couple decades? Namikaze Naruto, Pein assured them, was no real threat.

But now, even though he had been at such a disadvantage, Deidara had been defeated. Both of his arms were gone, each taken by a Jinchuriki. The only back up he could expect was, most likely, still in battle with Itachi and the others. And, no offense to Sasori, Deidara didn't think that the puppet master could beat the infamous Uchiha Itachi. You didn't earn a nickname like 'The Phoenix' for nothing.

If he was honest with himself, Deidara didn't really think he would have won even if he had both arms. Namikaze Naruto was known for his technique called 'Bankai'. Whenever he was serious, he would use it and crush whoever stood in his way. Not once, however, had Deidara heard the word leave the boy's lips. That meant that there was still a lot of power waiting to be unleashed.

Physically, Deidara was one of the weakest members of his organization. Next to Pein, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, Konan, and Zetsu (and he didn't really know how strong Zetsu was), he was the slowest and the weakest. He made up for it with his explosives and his cunning and his ability to infiltrate even the tightest of security. In espionage, he reigned supreme, and his explosives were more than capable of defeating any enemy who came his way.

Against his allies, however, he was incapable of winning. Sasori had far too many puppets for Deidara to safely get in a decisive blow. Hidan was pretty much immortal, so any attack aimed at him would be useless. The only thing he would get was an angry glare and, perhaps, a quick but painful disembowelment.

Kakuzu had those multiple hearts to support him, and destroying all of them before he got you was a very difficult task. With a little bit of planning and a little surprise attack, Kakuzu would be down for the count. Unfortunately, Kakuzu was simply too resistant to defeat so easily. The only thing he really had over the bounty hunter was seniority.

Konan was untouchable. No one dared approach her, not unless it involved strictly business. Pein was the only one who interacted freely with his second in command, and he was strict about what kind of contact the others could have with her. Pein was the only member that Deidara was sure could kill him effortlessly.

With a slash of his sword, Naruto's godly visage melted away into his normal appearance, a scowl planted firmly on his face. Deidara felt a bit of hope flare up inside his chest, but it was immediately extinguished when the blonde shinobi pointed his katana forward and intoned but a single word, "Bankai."

Ice spread over him, forming wings, a tail, a dragon head-shaped gauntlet, clawed feet, and four flowers with four petals each. In that instant, Deidara knew that he wouldn't be walking away from this one. His death was almost assured and there was nothing he could possibly do to stop it.

As Naruto raised his hand up to point at Deidara, the air between them solidified into tiny little particles of ice that looked like fog and mist. The light glinted off of several of these particles, reflecting into Deidara's eyes, who realized that these bits of ice were incredibly dense and sharp.

"Kongou Hokori," was all Naruto said. (Diamond Dust)

With a motion of his hand, the small ice particles leapt forward, spearing Deidara through all parts of his body, save his chest, neck, and head. He stood straight for a moment, incapable of collapsing, then fell backwards with a heavy thump, blood leaking from thousands of wounds on his body not much larger than a pinprick. He could not move; muscles, ligaments, bones — all had been torn to shreds, leaving him nothing but a gasping, pain-filled corpse.

Grabbing the blonde's coat, Naruto pushed Deidara against the bark, hissing, "Do you know why you lost? You underestimated me. And now, you'll pay the price for all you've done. You'll pay for killing Gaara, for all you've done to the Sand, for every sin you've ever committed, and I'll be eager to watch your trip to hell."

With his piece said and nothing more he wanted to express to the missing ninja, Naruto stabbed his sword through the blonde's heart, watching as fear and pain bloomed on his face. Holding back a snarl, Naruto whispered, "Don't worry, it's fatal."

The moment Deidara took his last breath, Naruto felt his anger dissolve into pain and emptiness as his Bankai vanished. Gaara was _gone_. One of the few people who could understand his pain was gone, and he wasn't coming back. Killing Deidara hadn't brought Gaara back. It hadn't made the pain go away.

A pair of warm arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into a warm embrace. A small smile pulled at Naruto's lips and he leaned backwards into Tenten's awaiting arms, enjoying the warmth and comfort of her hug. She was his friend, and that was what he needed right then. A noise pulled him back to earth, however, and the situation was refreshed as he caught sight of the clone he had made earlier.

Gaara was _gone_.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Sasori was dead. His body, nothing more than a puppet following his commands flawlessly, was cracked and burnt, as though it had been struck by lightning. The ground was split and had experienced a great upheaval and the cave in which that battle had taken place was all but gone. The remains of several puppets littered the brown earth

"Hm!" Sasuke smirked, eyes dancing victoriously, "he was no match for Murakumo and me."

"You think we should trust him, though?" Sakura asked unsurely. "About the bridge, I mean."

"Tenchi bridge in Grass Country," Itachi recited, staring at Sasori's smoking corpse, "ten days from now at noon. I'd…heard that he had a subordinate in Orochimaru's camp, but I didn't think he'd manage such a thing. Orochimaru may not be the strongest of ninja out there, but he is most certainly one of the cleverer ones."

"We have no other choice but to trust him," Neji cut in. "This is the best and most solid lead we've had on Orochimaru for years. Even if it turns out to be a trap, the chance that we can take down Orochimaru is too good to pass up. I'm sure Hokage-sama will agree with me. We _must not_ ignore this."

"Sakura!" two voices cried. The entire group turned around to see Tenten and Naruto land, holding a motionless Gaara in between them. They set him down on a smooth section of dirt, backing up as Sakura rushed forward and dropped to her knees beside the unmoving redhead. She laid her hands on his chest, then paused. With sad eyes, she looked up at Naruto and shook her head.

Naruto's brow furrowed, his teeth grinding together, "Why…why was Gaara…always Gaara…To die like this…"

His fist clenched, "He's the Kazekage! He didn't become Kazekage just to…"

"Relax," Chiyo said calmly, "Namikaze Naruto."

Naruto spun around, unshed tears glistening in his eyes, "Shut up! If the Hidden Sand hadn't sealed that crazy monster in Gaara, then nothing like this would have happened in the first place! Gaara didn't ask for this! He didn't tell you to seal such a beast inside his body! Jinchuriki…it's just a word that people like you made up! It's a label that glorifies our lives!"

Droplets of water finally trickled down his cheeks, "I couldn't save the old man and I couldn't save Gaara. I trained and trained for three years, day and night, until I dropped. I trained until my hands bled and my muscles snapped. But nothing's changed. I can't save those who matter to me."

Face twisted into a determined frown, Chiyo strode forward purposefully, kneeling down next to Gaara and pressing her hands against his chest. Her hands glowed with chakra, forming a bright orb that consumed her arms from the elbow down. The grass around her rippled and swayed.

"Chiyo-sama!" Sakura gasped. "That jutsu is…!"

"What are you trying to do now?" Naruto asked stubbornly, refusing to get his hopes up. The aura to that chakra had a familiar feel. Could it be…?

"That's…" Gai muttered.

"Yes," Kakashi confirmed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Naruto demanded. Hope was blossoming in his chest, but he wouldn't allow it to grow so long as it could still be dashed in the next few moments.

Sakura looked over at him, "She's bringing Gaara back."

Naruto's heart started to beat loudly in his chest, "Is she…really…?"

Sakura's face was firm and grim, "This Jutsu is Chiyo-sama's alone."

"Guh!" Chiyo flinched. The glow weakened. "Damn! Not enough chakra…"

"You can…" Naruto knelt down on the other side of Gaara's body, "use my chakra."

"Put your hands on top of mine," she said, and Naruto did so. A thin smile appeared on her lips. "I'm glad that someone like you exists in this world of shinobi that we old people created. In the past, I made so many mistakes. But now, at the very end, I am able to do what is right."

She looked up at him, "Konoha and Suna…Their futures are differing from our pasts. That mysterious power of yours that Kakashi spoke of…That may just change the future. Become a Hokage like none before you."

Her eyes softened, "Naruto…a request from an old hag. You are the only one who knows Gaara's pain, and Gaara is the only one who knows your pain. So…help him out."

All Gaara knew was emptiness. He was alone in a world of nothing and his body refused to move. A voice called his name, a familiar voice, but he could not place a face or name to the voice. Warmth blossomed on his shoulder, a strong hand gripping him tightly and nudging him gently.

"Gaara…" the voice called.

"Gaara…" Gaara's eyes felt heavy and the ground felt hard and cold.

"Gaara…" at once, his eyes snapped open and he could place a name to that voice.

He looked up at the blonde who held him up by the shoulder, supporting him and his motionless body. He craned his neck and whispered the name, "Naruto…"

His eyes widened as he caught sight of his surroundings; hundreds of ninja stood, as if waiting for him to awake from his unnatural sleep. Each one was smiling, and as he sat up, several started to cheer for his return. Confusion and surprise filled his being, so he turned to look at his blonde friend once more.

Naruto smiled, speaking softly, "They all came here, Gaara. Everyone came running…just to save you. You put us through a lot."

A ghost of a smile lit up Gaara's face.

"Thank you…Naruto."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach **

**Yes, I gave Hinata Tifa's Advent Children clothes. Chakra Gems were inspired by similar objects on Soul Calibur IV. Can anyone guess what jutsu Jiraiya told Naruto not to use? How about how far Naruto can take Ryûjin no Torai now?**

**And before any of you start complaining that Deidara was too weak, I'll remind you that he would have died at this point in canon if he hadn't used his Jibaku Bunshin. **

**This chapter is shorter than the last one, I know. Sorry. **

**Yes, Mitsunari is going to be an important character, though his true importance won't appear until the sequel. I know that I'm having this story take place about two or three hundred years before the real Ishida Mitsunari was born, but, hey, writer's prerogative. This story takes place in the late twelfth century (1183, now 1198). When Naruto 'dies', he'll be about 152 years old, and I think he's going to die in 1335AD.**

**From there, there'll be a massive time-skip, about 665 years, to 2000. That's where the sequel will pick up and we meet Naruto, hidden away in a cave near Karakura Town, alone for nearly seven centuries.**

_**Kin no akari… (Golden Light)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	16. Chapter IX: B Side

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Nine: Tower of Lost Souls**

** — o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The sun hung high in the midday sky, casting a bright glow over the lush forests and the shining river hidden within the chasm. A sturdy wooden bridge closed the gap between the two sides, arching up slightly and protected by a thick roof. A figure stood stoically atop its pale planks, his face and all distinguishing features hidden by a cloak.

Another figure suddenly appeared as well, all but his eyes hidden from the world. He wore a dark piece of cloth over his nose and mouth and a conical bamboo hat on his head. Thin strips of paper fell from the hat to obscure the sides of his head. His hunched over body was hidden within a black cloak decorated with blood red clouds.

"It's been a long time, Sasori-sama," the first figure stated plainly, reaching for the hood of his cloak. He pulled it down, revealing a stoic face with long, silvery hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. His dark eyes, framed by a pair of glasses, betrayed nothing of his emotions. "About five years."

Naruto, hidden away behind the cover of a large rock, felt his eyes go wide and a lump form in his throat. Anger leapt unbidden to forefront of his mind, overwhelming the shock that had initially flooded him. His hand clenched into a fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white and shook.

"It can't be," he whispered almost inaudibly. "I killed him."

A hand on his shoulder drove his attention over to Kakashi, who nodded reassuringly and gave him a sharp, light squeeze. A wave of gratitude washed through him, but the anger still simmered beneath the surface. How had Kabuto survived? The attack Naruto had used on him a year prior should have killed him.

"Followed…?" the fake Sasori asked with a grunt.

"Not an issue," Kabuto said calmly.

"How's the situation?"

"A weird feeling still remains from the time I remembered who I was, unsealed by Sasori-sama's technique," Kabuto said. "My head is still a bit heavy."

"I have a few questions," Sasori said with a growl.

"We have very little time, please make it quick," Kabuto said, a hint of worry in his voice. "I'm risking my life just by coming here and away from Orochimaru-sama's eye."

"Give me information on the emplacement of his hideout," Sasori said firmly.

"There are many hideouts," Kabuto said. "To keep his whereabouts from being discovered, he's moving from place to place by one week units. Of course, these are also in countries away from the Hidden Sound. Orochimaru-sama's spies are given intricate directions. His means of travel are also various and can't be told either. He's now hiding in a hideout in a small island of the north lake. He'll move in three days."

Kabuto caught something out of the corner of his eye and turned suddenly in alarm, but let out a soft sigh of relief. It was only a rabbit. That had startled him. He turned back around, "By the way…about that task you asked of me, Sasori-sama. After changing bodies, Orochimaru casts a jutsu on the cellular specimen of the leftover corpse, meant to preserve it. I was unable to perform an analysis on that specimen."

Sasori's expression didn't change, "I see."

Kabuto held out a hand, "On that note, please give me the item we talked about. I can't continue to stay here much longer. If it's found out that I'm meeting you here like this, I'll be killed."

"Very well," the fake Sasori grabbed something from inside his cloak, then his hand shot out, grasping a kunai.

"Your conversation seems quite amusing," a silky voice said suddenly, from behind Kabuto. Orochimaru stood back to back with him, a snake curling away from his body and reaching for Kabuto's. "You wouldn't mind if I joined in, would you?"

The snake suddenly squeezed around the teen, but he was already gone, leaving his cloak behind to get crushed. He turned to face the pale man, saying, "I almost wasn't able to step back in time. But, thanks to you taking out your kunai, Sasori-sama, I was."

"That get up of yours brings back memories, Sasori," Orochimaru said, his voice like velvet.

"So you followed Kabuto, then?" the fake Sasori asked neutrally.

"I just wanted to thank you. This boy you sent me…I was able to make quite good use of him," Orochimaru smirked. "In order for me to create new jutsu, I need to conduct experiments on well over one hundred live humans. Thanks to this boy, I am able to use the same specimen any number of times I please. I had quite a hard time coming across test subjects, after all…"

Kabuto's hand glowed with chakra and he spun around, lopping off Sasori's head to reveal a black haired ninja inside. Captain Yamato leapt from the wooden body and tried to retreat, but Orochimaru flung out a hand and hundreds of snakes shot forth, coiling around his body. One bit him on the neck, but he vanished, replaced by a piece of wood shaped roughly like him.

"Mokuton ninjutsu…you couldn't be."

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto said, "is that the real Sasori?"

"No, it's not," Orochimaru said. "Are you telling me that you, one of his own subordinates, don't even know what his real face looks like?"

"He was a dark individual, after all," Kabuto said in his defense. "He was always hiding in that puppet of his."

"What are you talking about?" Yamato clutched his injured right arm. "You should be an Akatsuki spy. Aren't you still under the effects of Sasori's ninjutsu?"

"Ah, yes, _that_ jutsu," Kabuto grinned. "Orochimaru-sama freed me from it quite some time ago."

"So," Yamato said darkly, "you fell pray to Orochimaru's jutsu, then."

"I chose this path of my own will," Kabuto said, laughter in his voice. "But tell me, who are you?"

"I'll tell you about this boy later," Orochimaru said. "But first…why don't you call out those four little mice hiding in the brush?"

Scowling, Yamato made a hand sign and four people leapt from the woods. Namikaze Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Hatake Kakashi landed on the bridge, each one glaring seriously at the snake-like man in front of them. Kabuto tilted his head back arrogantly, "You again."

"I've seen that face a number of different times," Orochimaru said with a chuckle, staring at the blonde. "Why don't we have a little fun? It seems the Kyubi boy brought Sasuke-kun to us all wrapped up as a gift."

Naruto snarled, his fists shaking with rage. An oppressive aura was unleashed, and gravity suddenly seemed to quadruple in that instant, driving the air from Team Seven's lungs. Kabuto staggered backwards, clutching his chest and his eyes wide with fear. Orochimaru's own eyes had widened slightly in surprise, but he showed no other reaction.

Naruto drew his sword slowly, producing a long, sharp, ear-grating ring. In a flash, he was gone and Orochimaru leapt away from his slash, which sliced cleanly through the bridge and out the bottom. Taking advantage of the moment, he spun around and, with a fierce strike, lopped the shocked Kabuto's head off. There was a violent gush of blood, but Naruto paid it no attention.

"Damn you, boy!" Orochimaru growled menacingly as his yellow eyes glared a hole in the blonde's forehead. "Do you realize just how much I had to go through to keep him alive a year ago?"

"Good," Naruto said coldly, icy blue eyes gleaming. "He was supposed to die that night a year ago. That he survived is indeed a testament to your skill and ingenuity. That ice should have immobilized him completely, cutting off all escape while he bled his life away. He was given a year's extension and I decided to collect."

The blonde's eyes narrowed, "Orochimaru, you aren't worthy of being a ninja, or a Sennin. Swinging your blade out of a sense of duty, that is what ninja and Sennin do. Swinging your blade out of hate is nothing more than base violence. Ninja do not refer to that as fighting. You…aren't worthy of being a ninja, especially a Sennin."

"How amusing," Orochimaru smirked. "Do you mean to tell me, then, that there is no hatred in the blade that you hold right now?"

There was a pause, then a wave of pressure swept out from Naruto as an icy rage burned in his eyes, "You're exactly right, Orochimaru. My blade…_is _full of hate. I didn't come here to fight you. I came here…to violently hack you to pieces!"

Orochimaru grunted slightly in panic as his knees jerked and threatened to buckle beneath him, his lips curling back as he struggled to throw off whatever it was that was pressing down on him. The sheer power radiating out from the blonde was blurring the edges of his vision and he struggled to claim each breath.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Kyubi brat was strong, but he was still just a boy. He, Orochimaru, was one of the Sannin and was hailed around the Elemental Countries as one of the most elite of ninja. He had been a ninja of elite status while this boy's _grandfather_ had been sucking his thumb.

But this power. _This_ power. It was strong and it was harsh and it was frightening. Two and a half years the brat had been gone for, and after a single year of training, he hadn't seemed to improve substantially enough, only barely capable of defeating Kabuto. At that level of growth, it was fair to say that he wouldn't pose a threat for many more years, and he probably wouldn't get the chance to get that far.

However, something seemed to have happened between that year and the end of the second year. The blonde boy before him had gone from being simply level with someone like, say, Kakashi, to being an S-class ninja. He had not yet become level with someone like Itachi or especially Pein and Madara, but his rate of growth was astounding.

Standing unsteadily, his knees still shaking, Orochimaru opened his mouth wide and summoned his sword, the Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Kuu no Tachi. He threw it up in a horizontal block just in time to defend against Naruto's vicious slash, the pressure disappearing as the blonde focused on the battle.

"If your blade is filled with hate, then you aren't worthy of being a ninja either," Naruto said, calm forced into his voice. "That's what you're getting at, isn't it? You're right. But…I don't care if this fight costs me my status as a ninja. As long as I get to kill you…_it doesn't matter_."

The swords jingled and clattered as each wielder tried desperately to overpower the other, glaring at their opponent. Orochimaru let out an angry breath through his teeth, yellow eyes glinting in dark anger. Naruto's mouth opened and words tumbled out, his wide blue eyes focused solely on the Snake Sennin, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

Naruto pushed away and jumped into the air, sending forth a titanic water dragon with a single downward swing of his sword. Orochimaru leapt back and dodged as it ploughed into and through the wooden bridge, flinging his arm out and launching a torrent of thin, gangly snakes through the towering water. As they reached the other side, they were sliced to bits by the blade that swung around and through them, attached to a chain on Hyôrinmaru's hilt.

The area in front of the black haired ninja blurred, and, suddenly, Naruto was standing there in front of him, sword soaring through the air. Orochimaru swung down and met his horizontal strike, sending both their arms backward in a vicious recoil. They swung at each other once more, this time holding their blades in a stalemate.

"You're just like your father," Orochimaru hissed. "You're meddling, annoying, and always ruining my plans! I should have severed his head when I had the chance!"

"My father was a greater person and ninja than you'll ever be," Naruto said lowly, snarling. "If it wasn't for people like you, he wouldn't have had to die!"

A kunai appeared in the blonde's hand and he swiped towards Orochimaru with it. The black-haired ninja deflected it with his sword, but wasn't prepared for the gleaming silver blade that sliced cleanly through his stomach and sent his torso flying. A thick trunk of snakes extended from both halves of his body and latched onto one another, pulling him back into one piece.

Taking advantage of Naruto's distraction, who was too surprised by the man's vile ability, Orochimaru lashed out with a vicious punch, flinging the blonde backwards and into the ground. Coughing at the ache in his ribs, Naruto rose to his feet slowly.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried worriedly. She made to go and help him, but Kakashi's hand and arm prevented her from moving. "Kakashi-sensei! Let me go! If we don't help him, Naruto could…!"

"If we help him," Kakashi said seriously, watching the events unfold in front of him, "what will become of his pride? If we were to jump into this battle now, we might save his life. At the same time, we will have destroyed his pride."

"Pride?" Sakura asked incredulously. "What does pride matter? His life is more important than that!"

"Sakura-san," Kakashi said, still using his serious tone with narrowed eyes watching fiercely, "remember this. There are two types of battle. Whenever we fight, that fight must be one of these two types. The fight for life and the fight…for pride."

The blonde rose to his feet, spit out a glob of blood, muttered something that sounded like, "Cheap shot," and vanished.

"Right now," Kakashi continued, "he's fighting for pride; Sarutobi Hiruzen's pride, his father's pride, Konoha's pride, and, most importantly, his own personal pride."

Naruto swung downwards and once more their swords locked in an epic and equal inverted tug of war. Naruto glared, hissing, "You're disgusting. You've traded everything, even your humanity, for an impossible dream. You've pissed off the wrong person this time, though, and I intend to follow through with my promise to kill you."

"Go back to your sandbox, _boy_," Orochimaru sneered. "Even you, with all of your training, cannot kill a ninja of _my_ caliber."

A gasp tore itself from the man's lips as a sword of gleaming silver pierced through his chest and heart, spearing him on it. The blonde in front of him disappeared in a puff of smoke and from behind him a voice whispered, "Can't I?"

The body burst into a horde of snakes that twisted around as they hissed, biting the blonde viciously in several places. He, in turn, fell apart into water and splashed to the ground. Neither side, it seemed, had actually been injured in that exchange, as was evidenced by the substitutions they had pulled off.

From a place a meter or two away from his previous spot, liquid mud bubbled up to form the black-haired, yellow-eyed Orochimaru. With the sound of a curtain fluttering in the breeze, Naruto reappeared as well, his blue eyes glaring daggers at the pale-skinned Snake Sennin.

Orochimaru tilted his head back arrogantly, his lips pulled back into a smirk, "I thought we were going to skip the warm up."

As he swiped his sword to the side, a blue and white aura lit up around the blonde's body, "I was giving you a chance to regret all of the things you have done in your life."

The aura flared and the pale man's eyes widened in horror as a single word rolled past Naruto's lips, "Bankai."

The wings, tail, dragon-head gauntlet, claw, feet, and flowers of ice all made their reappearance, forming around his limbs and in the air. In an instant, Naruto had done what Orochimaru had feared he would do: he had called forth his full power and leveled it in the Snake Sennin's direction.

In a blur, Naruto vanished. Orochimaru barely had time to throw up a block and defend himself, Hyôrinmaru pressing down on the black steel of his blade. A chill crept down the dark metal and instantly the feared Kusanagi grew cold in his pale hands. His eyes flew wide open as an old emotion, one he hadn't felt since that fight with Sarutobi, crept into his body:

Fear.

Leaping backwards, Orochimaru flung out his free arms and sent a horde of snakes in the blonde's direction, desperately trying to destroy his foe. Naruto merely backed away to give himself some room and pointed his blade at the dark green and brown serpents. He intoned but a single word, "Hyôrinmaru."

Three dragons of frigid water leapt from the tip of his shimmering steel, each one in possession of gleaming red eyes and a pair of feathery-looking wings. They twisted around each other, rushing forward and consuming the horde as if the scaly beasts were nothing and continuing on toward Orochimaru.

With a scream of terror, the Snake Sennin's mouth fell open and from it came a new body, even as the old one was overwhelmed and fell victim to the trio of dragons. The new body slithered along the ground at an astounding speed, rushing toward the cover of the trees in hopes of escaping.

As Naruto stabbed his sword into the ground, he had no such luck, "Hokkyoku." (Arctic)

Faster than he could dodge, two pillars rose and captured each of Orochimaru's arms holding them as far apart as they could comfortably be. As his momentum stopped, a third pillar rose and consumed his lower body, from his feet all the way up to his waist, trapping him where he stood.

He struggled to get loose, pulling at each encased arm with all of his might, but the ice would not relinquish his captive flesh. Naruto appeared in front of him, a scowl on his face and his sword pointed in the black-haired man's direction. Consumed by his terror, Orochimaru threw his head back, opened his mouth wide, and screamed for all he was worth.

From his body burst a giant white snake, which hissed as it curled its body and turned its slit black pupils and yellow eyes onto the blonde boy, who merely stared back. Giving its harsh, wispy version of a shriek, its mouth dropped open and revealed meter long fangs that could cleave Naruto in half. It dived for him.

The wings of solid ice curled protectively around Naruto's body, holding up against the white snake's assault as it tried to sink its fangs into his flesh. Naruto's scowl deepened and he hefted his sword, preparing for a finishing move, "So this is your true form?"

With a burst of energy, he knocked the beast away, stunning it at his sudden maneuver. That presented the opportunity that Naruto would have had to have been crazy to pass up, and the blonde rushed forward, sword poised for a killing stroke. The snake could not have hoped to be prepared in time to dodge.

With a harsh clink and the sound of flesh being rent asunder, Hyôrinmaru sunk past scale after pale white scale as it cut into the transformed Orochimaru, the gleaming silver disappearing into the creamy underbelly. The beastly snake screeched at this and writhed around, but it appeared unable to move its lower body.

"This is the end," Naruto said coldly, ice spreading from the open wound (which would not bleed) and slowly consuming the creature's massive body. Orochimaru seemed unable to hear these words, as he only continued to thrash around desperately. "Your nerve receptions have been cut off below this point and I've damaged or even destroyed several of your internal organs. Only Tsunade could heal you now."

The ice started to move faster, creeping up like a demonic vine and consuming the beast's neck and throat next. Desperately, Orochimaru turned his gaze downward and tried to catch Naruto's stare, but the blonde's eyes were shut tight, a ghost of a smirk on his lips, "Hoping to achieve eye contact in a desperate bid for your immortality jutsu?"

With a final shriek, Orochimaru was at last entirely consumed, standing as a solitary statue in the middle of a battlefield. Sighing, Naruto pulled his sword loose and sheathed it as his extra appendages evaporated away into nothingness. Scowling slightly, he leapt high into the air and landed on the tip of the snake's nose.

"This is to make sure there's no escaping this time," Naruto murmured under his breath, crouched atop the beast's frozen snout. He held out a single finger and pressed it up against the ice that covered the monster's forehead. In a soft but firm voice, he whispered, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai."

A thick bolt of erratic white lightning ripped forward, straight through both the nigh indestructible ice and the flesh and organs of the snake trapped within. Orochimaru's brains, Naruto knew, were likely nothing more than mush and lumps of fried gray-matter now. He could never harm anyone again.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried ecstatically. "Your Curse Mark! It's gone!"

Naruto stood and let out a breath of relief. Orochimaru was dead. And this time…

For good.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The office was quiet and almost empty, the silence pressing down on the sole two occupants of its wooden walls. Sunlight streamed in through the large windows positioned on the rear wall, casting bright light on the planks that covered the floor and the large, hardwood desk that sat near the center.

There were two, solitary figures in this room, occupying its hallowed space. Their faces were serious and dark, as though they were facing a decision they would rather not make, or remembering memories they would rather forget. Between them, this expression was shared, varying only in the way it was etched onto their faces: did it bring lines, or soft curves of the lips?

The first figure was tall and powerful, standing on thick red geta sandals near the windows and staring out at the giant stone monument that watched over the village. His untamable hair was white and spiky and long, reaching all the way down to his knees, if not farther. He was dressed in olive drab with a metal plate on his forehead. Jiraiya of the Sannin. The Toad Sage.

The second figure was a woman, apparently in her twenties, with womanly attributes that seemed almost impossibly large and ill proportioned for her body. Her amber gaze was solemn as she read the paper in her hands, feeling, for one of the first times in a long time, the burden of being Hokage the Fifth.

This woman was Tsunade of the Sannin, renowned throughout the underworld as the Legendary Sucker and generally thought of as the worst gambler in history. She was also somewhere in her fifties, despite her youthful looks, and was a master of both genjutsu disguises and medical ninjutsu.

Tsunade set the paper down on her desk and sighed, rubbing her forehead with a single shaking hand. Quietly, she asked, "Is this the truth, then?"

"Yes," Jiraiya said, his voice sounding so stern it was as if he were handing her own death sentence to her. "I checked it out for myself, just to confirm the reports, but it's just as they said it was."

"He's gone," she whispered. A single tear leaked out of her eye, but she paid it no mind. She chuckled derisively, mirthlessly, at her own reaction. "For so long, I've hated him for leaving us, for abandoning our team the way he did. But…a part of me is sad that he's gone. A part of me remembers our time as Genin and can't help but cry."

"I know how you feel," Jiraiya murmured. "He may have been one of the worst traitors to have ever come from Konoha, and he wasn't even really human anymore, but…I think he was the only one of us three that managed to truly sever those friendship bonds."

Tsunade sighed and hung her head, "So, Naruto was the one to do it?"

"From what I understand, yes," Jiraiya responded. "According to Kakashi, he fought the way he was expected to and took revenge for Sarutobi-sensei. Uchiha Sasuke-san's Curse Seal is also gone, which confirms it. Orochimaru is really dead this time."

Tsunade glanced at him, "And what of Akatsuki?"

Jiraiya shifted, "According to my spies and Itachi himself, we've taken down Deidara, Akasuna no Sasori, and Hoshigaki Kisame. That leaves the leader, Pein, his right hand, Konan, their spy, Zetsu, and the two man team, Hidan and Kakuzu. Also according to him, that clone they fought on the way to rescuing Gaara was a mere thirty percent of Hidan's full power."

The older man frowned, "I've also been informed that there is a new recruit by the name of 'Tobi', though nothing else I have on him is concrete. And also…"

Jiraiya walked over to look at the portraits of the Hokage, "Also…I think…I think I know who Pein is."

Tsunade's head whipped around so fast, he could have sworn her neck cracked, "What?"

"It's been bothering me for a while now," Jiraiya told her, "this information I was given. So far, most of it's just speculation and I've drawn my conclusions from that, but…I think Pein is a kid I taught once a long time ago."

Tsunade eyed him, "How long ago is 'a long time ago'?"

Jiraiya frowned, his voice wistful, "Long ago. Before even Minato-kun."

"But you're not sure?" Tsunade repeated his words. "You've got some information but it's not solid enough for you to go on?"

"Yeah, but…" he started.

"Then don't bother with it," she told him firmly. "If you're not sure if it's valid, then don't bother with it. We need as many strong ninja around as we can get if we're going to defend against the Akatsuki. And they _will_ come here. It's just a matter of time."

Jiraiya sighed, "You're right. I think I'll just forget about it for now. You're right, it's probably nothing. I mean, what are the chances that he's actually shown up again after all these years, huh? Hah! I must've been crazy to think that he was the one behind all of this! I mean, I'm not even sure he made it through that war!"

Jiraiya laughed, but it was hollow, and it seemed, just like his words, as if he were merely trying to convince himself. They both knew his hunches were usually right, so he was probably right about this one, too. But Tsunade didn't want to let him go, not now, when she knew he was likely to get himself killed in a battle like that.

She didn't have all the information, but she knew Pein wasn't someone you mess with casually. After all, he had to be damn tough to be leader of the Akatsuki. He wouldn't have had eight loyal, bloodthirsty murders on his side if he wasn't the strongest of the bunch. Considering the level Itachi was on, this guy had to be a veritable god.

No, she decided, she wouldn't let Jiraiya go on this suicide mission, not without someone of equal strength as back up. For that, she would have to wait for Kakashi to bring back Naruto from the Tower. She shivered. She had to sympathize with her fellow blonde. The Tower was a horrible place, even if it was one of _the_ most effective training tools out there.

"Well," Jiraiya waved and turned around, opening the door, "I'll see you around, Tsunade-hime!"

What Jiraiya didn't say was what he thought next, _'Nagato-kun…what have you done?'_

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun was bright, casting its yellow rays down upon the foliage. The grass and the leaves were as lively a green as they could possibly be and stretched towards the sky. In the breeze, the tree branches swayed and they looked to be waving at the sun, saying hello to another beautiful day and a bright morning.

Through these trees did two figures travel, moving forwards at amazing speeds. Their forms were a blur, indistinguishable as they rushed toward their goal so fast that they seemed nothing but a mirage from the hot sun: there one second, then vanishing a mere moment later, as if they had never been there.

The first figure was tall, with spiky gray hair that stuck up at an odd angle, almost as if it were deliberately defying gravity. Slung over his left eye was a blue headband with a metal plate stuck in the center, a swirling leaf carved onto it. He wore a green flak jacket and a blue shirt and pants. Hatake Kakashi.

The second figure was just as tall as his older counterpart with golden, sun-kissed blonde hair that was even spikier than Kakashi's. His headband was tied around his right biceps with the metal plate facing out. He had blue eyes and three whisker marks on each cheek. He wore his usual zip-up, sleeveless turtleneck and black pants. Namikaze Naruto.

"Where are we going, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked for the first time. Indeed, it was the first time they had talked at all during the entire trip. Both had remained silent, but Naruto couldn't stop himself from asking. After all, "It's been three days since we started traveling, and you _still_ haven't told me where we're going!"

Kakashi was silent for a moment, as if pondering how to answer the questions asked of him. Finally, he said, "Jiraiya-sama left your training in my hands, now, and there's nothing I can teach you that you could learn anymore. You're a Suiton master and I'm horrible with Fuuton element Jutsu, so I'm going to do something I promised."

"Promised to who?" Naruto asked.

"Your father," Kakashi said seriously. "It's a promise I made that fateful night nearly sixteen years ago, just moments after you had been born. He asked me, no, he _begged _me, Sensei _begged_ me to do this for him. He made me promise that, when I could teach you nothing more, and when Jiraiya couldn't teach you anything else, that I take you to the final training."

"Final training?" Naruto repeated curiously.

Kakashi nodded, "It's something of a tradition for potential Hokage, or those who are to succeed the current Hokage. Shodai was the first to take it, then he led his brother the Nidaime to it and had him take it, and then your father took it, and the Sandaime took Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru, and Tsunade-hime and had them take it."

"Wait," Naruto interrupted, jumping off another branch, "what about the old man? Didn't he…?"

"No," Kakashi said. "Sandaime-sama didn't take this training. For him, the prospect was too difficult and he could not bring himself to experience the horrors of this method of training. This is no normal training, you see. The Hokage used it as a way to find and strengthen their resolve to protect the village."

"Wow," Naruto whistled. "This training's that hard, then?"

"Yes, it is," Kakashi answered. "For this isn't just physical training, training of the body. This training is to hone the mind and to cast aside weakness and indecision. A Hokage must be able to look at his warriors and see the people, but treat them as if they were pieces in a shogi game. To do so, he must first complete this training and face the one person he could never bring himself to battle. This training is both emotional and physical."

Naruto cast a look down thoughtfully, murmuring, "Hinata-chan."

Kakashi shook his head, "No, you will not face Hinata-san. She is strong in her own right, but nowhere near strong enough to match you in an all out battle. The person you will have to battle will be someone who means something to you, but someone you also view as superior to yourself."

Naruto blinked, "Like who?"

"Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi said, his voice slightly unsure, "or perhaps Sandaime-sama. I cannot say for sure who it is you will have to fight against, but I know it will be someone powerful that you have known or consider important or close to your heart. Perhaps they will be all three, and you will lose."

Naruto looked alarmed, but Kakashi allayed his fears, "Don't worry, you won't die. Like I said, this is _training_. It's supposed to help you get better, not kill you off."

"Oh," Naruto said lamely. "You know, you never did answer my question. Where are we going?"

Kakashi was silent for a few moments, merely continuing his forward momentum and launching himself through the trees as they moved onward. After a little while, though, and Naruto was about to ask again, the Cyclops-wannabe gray-haired Jônin announced in a solemn voice, "We're here."

Naruto looked forward and landed gracefully as the line of trees ended. He was about to ask where 'here' was when the words died in his throat and his eyes went wide as he caught sight of what stood in front of him. Beside him, Kakashi was smirking beneath his mask, obviously amused at the blonde's reaction.

"Whoa," Naruto whispered, staring straight ahead. In front of him, standing in the middle of a plot of barren land, was a large tower the likes of which he had never seen. Its top was invisible, hiding inside of a group of ominous looking black clouds. The rest of the sky, strangely enough, was clear and bright blue. "Where are we?"

"This, Naruto-kun, is the Final Destination," Kakashi said, as though he were a showman introducing an act at the circus. "This _is_ the Tower of Lost Souls."

The outside, Naruto decided as they walked through the thick wooden doors, was very impressive, but it didn't hold a candle to the inside. The floors were made of solid stones that looked as if they weighed several hundred pounds, and the walls similarly made, each piece carved to perfection.

Stain glass windows filled the entire place and the rooms of the Tower were a great deal more spacious than the outside led one to believe. Light, dim and low, painted patterns on the bronze floor, but the Tower seemed to have its own invisible light source that illuminated the rooms.

In silence, Kakashi led him up stair after stair, passing floor after gilded floor and going up staircase after staircase. The winding steps started to make him dizzy, but he kept his gaze firm and resolutely forward, following the gray-haired man in front of him. That was the tenth floor, now, and he had yet to see anything.

At the fifteenth floor, he was starting to get nervous and broke their quiet vigil, "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, how far up are we going?"

"To the sixtieth floor," Kakashi answered solemnly. "There, the Tower Guardian awaits us, and will choose the form he believes best suited to battle you."

Naruto swallowed apprehensively, muttering, "Tower Guardian, huh?"

The silence of the tower itself didn't end until they reached the thirtieth floor, where Naruto could here the beginnings of thunder as it crashed against the walls of the Tower, but did not shake the tall structure. Flashes of lightning passed in front of the windows now, and the dim light was gone, leaving only the artificial light source to lead them.

At the fortieth floor, Naruto began to hear other noises. There were moans and groans, the lamentations of lost souls, those who could not depart the mortal plane, but Naruto could see nothing. He settled for biting his lip nervously, following his gray-haired teacher as they continued to ascend, heedless of the noises.

The fiftieth floor was when Naruto discovered that they weren't the only occupants of the tower, for there certainly were others. Warriors of all kinds and civilians dressed in rags filled the floors, their bodies transparent and intangible and chains that protruded from their chests locking them to the floors. With a shiver, Naruto tore his eyes away from the suffering figures and marched onward.

At the fifty-ninth floor, Kakashi suddenly stopped and turned to the side, gesturing with his hand, "Only you can continue onward. This is your fight; you must do this alone."

Hesitantly, Naruto stepped forward, schooling his face into a neutral expression to hide the anxiety flitting just beneath the surface. There was a crack of vicious thunder and a flash of bright lightning as he ascended the last step, blinding him and hiding the room from him. His vision came back slowly and he reached up to rub the spots from his eyes.

A gasp tore itself from his lips when he could see again, for he had discovered who it was he would be facing. In a whisper, he uttered, "Yondaime Hokage."

And, indeed, that was who stood at the opposite end of the tower, his back to the stain glass window behind him. His blonde hair was even spikier than Naruto's and his hitai-ate was tied snuggly around his forehead, his piercing blue eyes gazing forward with a seriousness that caught Naruto by surprise.

The man looked much like what Naruto had seen in his textbooks as a child. He was tall, just a few centimeters more so than Kakashi, and lean with squared shoulders and a strong stance. His hair was bright golden yellow and refused to be tamed by methods man or nature. His eyes were like blue sapphires…or chips of ice.

Overtop of the standard Jônin outfit, he wore his trademark white coat, the short sleeves ending about halfway down his chiseled but lean biceps. Red flames danced around the bottom hem, licking at the white and immortalized in cloth and thread. Black sandals left the front open to reveal tanned toes.

There was one thing, though, that set Naruto on edge, for it hadn't been mentioned at all in the many books and biographies written about this legendary figure. Slung over his right shoulder and tied there with a green cloth was the familiar blue-wrapped hilt of Hyôrinmaru, sheathed in black.

Reaching up for the instrument of destruction on his back, the Yondaime walked forward, intoning four words as he unsheathed his weapon, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru."

In a blur, the man disappeared, but Naruto was already prepared for him and had drawn his own sword, intoning his own command phrase, "Sôten ni zase, Hyôrinmaru!"

In a crash of ice and water, the two identical swords met, Naruto's defending and Namikaze Minato's attacking. With an angry scoff, Naruto pushed with all his might against the opposing steel, but he could not knock the sword away. Seemingly oblivious to his strain, Minato had a neutral expression on his face.

Naruto wracked his brain, trying to find logic behind this strange revelation. How did the Yondaime Hokage, his father, have a copy of Hyôrinmaru? The dragon was supposed to be an original, wasn't he? Incapable of being reproduced? Then how had this spirit masquerading as his father pulled out another Hyôrinmaru?

He couldn't find any sense in it. Kakashi would have told him if his father had had these abilities. No, Naruto knew that his skills and Hyôrinmaru itself were unique, even if Tenten, Hinata, and Sasuke had swords capable of similar amazing feats. Somehow, though, this spirit had copied his weapon.

With a snarl, Naruto leapt backwards and swung his sword down, unleashing a giant beast of a water dragon that soared towards his opponent. Minato stood firm as it bore down on him, taking a single step forward and slashing his blade downward as the beast came crashing towards him. It split in half and evaporated into thin air.

Growling, Naruto unleashed a second water dragon at the blonde man, but Minato jumped deftly over top of the winding creature and released one of his own. It was slightly darker than Naruto's, more of a purple than crystal blue, but it held no less power and ferocity. Naruto leapt to the side and out of the way, dodging it as it collided with the floor and splashed around.

In a blur, they disappeared again and, in the center of the round room, clashed once more, blades locked in a fierce, inverted tug of war. Yondaime clearly had the upper hand, so Naruto knocked the sword to the side and went for another swing, this time a vertical slash. It was blocked nearly effortlessly.

Naruto would not be deterred, however, and swung a third time. It was blocked once again and Naruto wound up for fourth slash. It too was blocked, but Naruto would not allow his opponent time to set up an adequate defensive base and pointed toward the right side of the man's chest, chanting, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai!"

Almost effortlessly, it seemed, Yondaime moved to the side and the bolt of white lightning discharged from Naruto's finger missed him, if only just. Then, he swung back around with a punch straight to Naruto's nose, sending the blonde boy flying back into the wall, where he slid to the floor, groaning.

Minato walked forward slowly once more, stopping once he was at a reasonable distance, not too close but not too far, and raised his free hand, pointing with his index finger. In the same flat tone he'd used to unleash Hyôrinmaru, he recited a new phrase, "Hadô no Yon: Byakurai."

Eyes snapping open, Naruto dodged to the left just in time to miss getting hit with the ferocious bolt of lightning that crashed into the wall. Miraculously, the wall itself remained undamaged, as though it had never been attacked in the first place. Naruto, however, felt the heat of the attack in the air next to him.

Leaping forward as fast as he could, Naruto lashed out with all his strength against the spirit impersonating his father, the creature that had stolen the Fourth Hokage's image. The spirit blocked, but it had apparently underestimated him, for its defense wavered and shook during the initial collision.

Jumping backwards and away from the blonde boy, Minato reached into the holster tied to his right leg and pulled out several kunai. Settling into a defensive stance, Naruto waited, but didn't have to move at all. Each and every throw sent one of the projectiles to a point that wouldn't have even hit him unless he jumped in front of it.

Then, as the man in front of him disappeared with a yellow flicker, Naruto realized, with growing fear and horror, why none of the weapons had actually been aimed at him. He spun around, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the punch that slammed into his chin, knocking him backwards.

He was on his feet again in a split second, but Yondaime had already disappeared again. A prickling on the edge of his senses was all the warning he got and he ducked down, watching as the man's fist soared into the spot his head had just occupied. A sliver of his confidence returned for a second, but it was dashed as the man disappeared, only to land a harsh knee to his gut.

Standing up weakly, Naruto sloppily dodged the next blow, only to turn around and do something he had sworn he would never do again. He ran away. As fast as he could, he headed towards the stairs, but Yondaime reappeared in front of them and slashed downwards. Naruto stopped and desperately flung himself to the side.

Rising to his feet as fast as he could, Naruto stumbled as he rushed to get away from the impossibly strong man in front of him. Yondaime disappeared again and was suddenly running alongside him, before turning abruptly to slash at him. Naruto dodged around it, but just barely.

"_This is so pathetic,"_ Naruto thought as he turned and continued to flee. _"What am I doing? Why am I running away?"_

Yondaime reached out with a hand and grabbed him by the high collar of his vest, pulling him backwards and flinging him into the ground. Raising his sword high, the blonde man swung downwards, as if to cleave the boy in two. With a short cry of fear, Naruto rolled out of the way.

"_I'm so disgusted with myself!"_

Rolling to his feet, he continued to run, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to escape.

"_It's pathetic! Pathetic!"_

"_Yes, that's you,"_ a familiar voice answered, and suddenly the world was frozen around him. Surprised and with adrenaline pumping through his veins, Naruto looked wide eyed up at the towering form of Hyôrinmaru. The dragon's red eyes bore deeply into his, and at once, a second set of eyes appeared, more humanoid, but just as red. A deeper, darker voice asked, "**Why are you running away?**"

"You still haven't discovered my next power yet," Hyôrinmaru stated matter-of-factly. "Face forward and you should be able to find it. The only thing blinding your eyes…is your own fear."

"**There's only one enemy and one of you**," the second voice told him, "**so what is there to be afraid of? My container…are you so pathetic?**"

"Abandon your fear," Hyôrinmaru stated calmly.

"**Turn and face him**," the Kyubi growled.

"Don't give an inch."

"**Advance!**"

"Never stop!" they cried together.

"If you retreat, you will age."

"**If you hesitate, you'll die.**"

Hyôrinmaru growled, "Now…"

"Kimi no Na wo Yobu!" Naruto cried as time started again, spinning around to face his enemy. "Hyôrinmaru!" (I call your name, Ice Ring)

A tidal wave of intangible power swept throughout the room, followed by a billowing cloud of smoke that obscured Naruto from view. Holding his arms in front of his face, Yondaime's lips twitched upwards just the slightest bit. His cloak fluttered and his hair rustled, but he stood his ground.

As the smoke cleared, a new from could be seen. Naruto stood still, his sword virtually unchanged save for the eight-pointed star hand guard. A diamond shaped ice block was attached to his left forearm and a pauldron of solid ice had formed on his right arm. A pair of feathery wings, also made of ice, but much thinner than the normal Bankai wings, sprouted from his shoulders. The entire floor was frozen over.

"Bishamonten," Naruto said calmly, "Hyôrinmaru."

Lifting his sword up, he stabbed it into the frozen ground with a grunt. At once, spikes of ice shot up and speared through each of the tri-pronged kunai lodged in the stone blocks. The metal shattered easily, as if it had been made of glass rather than steel, and fell to pieces around the room.

With that stoic frown still on his face, Yondaime leapt back and unleashed a purplish dragon of water from his sword. Without batting an eyelash, Naruto jumped right into it, holding up his left arm in defense. In response to this action, the diamond shaped configuration on his left forearm transformed into a large shield. It cleaved through the dragon like paper.

As the beast dwindled to nothing and he came closer to the spirit impersonating his father, Naruto swiped the remnants to the side with the shield, which shrunk back into its original shape as he stabbed forward. Yondaime didn't move fast enough to avoid the full damage of the attack and a thin cut carved itself into his right cheek.

With a dangerous glint in his eyes, Yondaime made his own stab. Naruto didn't bother to dodge, as it collided with his protected right shoulder and slid right around the icy armor. In close, Naruto reared back his left hand and curled it into a fist, then let if fly into the man's stomach, sending him crashing into the wall.

Standing up with a wheezing pant, Minato's left eye was half-lidded as he stared at the boy across from him. His left arm hung at an odd angle and his right arm was curled protectively around his midsection. His hitai-ate slipped off and fell to the icy ground with a sharp clang of steel and a clatter of metal.

In a blur, Naruto vanished and Yondaime couldn't move in time to dodge the attack that was delivered to him. Before he could stop it, the cold steel of the blonde boy's sword had stabbed straight through his stomach and out the other side. Red began to blossom on the back of his white coat as he gave a grunt and lurched forward onto the boy's shoulder. The second half of his sword fell to the ground, broken off when he had attempted to block.

"Kono Hyôrinmaru no sekai," Naruto whispered in his ear. "Kono ore no sekai…" (This is Hyôrinmaru's world…this is my world.)

As Naruto wrenched his sword free, Yondaime stumbled backwards but maintained an upward stance. He held tenderly to the stab wound in his stomach, but looked up at the blonde boy in front of him with a smile. His body began to fade away, small blue particles floating up towards the ceiling.

"I'm proud of you," the man whispered, "my son."

In a flash, he was gone, leaving nothing behind but the infamous coat of the Yellow Flash. As his Bankai faded away, Naruto picked it up curiously, looking at it. There should have been a hole in it from the stab he had given the man, but it was in perfect condition, and even the right size for him, too. Turning it over on to the back, the words "Konoha no Ryûjin" were stitched on there in red.

With a smile, Naruto draped it over his shoulders and headed for the stairs. The ice in the room had melted and all evidence that a battle had taken place was gone, leaving it just as it had been before he had come. As he reached the top step, Naruto stopped and looked back, whispering, "Thanks…Tousan."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The door to the vast room opened with a loud creak, alerting anyone in the room that someone else was entering. There was a loud clip clop, as though whoever it was stood on tall, hard wooden sandal instead of the normal shinobi sandals. Still, the room's sole other occupant made no move and did not turn around to see who had come.

Papers of all kinds filled the desk and were piled on top of it, burying it until none of the hard wood was visible from above. A single bottle of sake sat amongst them, the only break in a monotonous stream of wood-derived sheets. The bottle was only half-full, proving that someone had indeed been drinking from it.

Jiraiya crossed his arms, looking at the woman behind the chair seriously, "So, you sent the squads out, did you?"

Tsunade looked up at him, "I had no other choice."

"Then," Jiraiya said, "I take it you've heard that the Akatsuki is in the area? That they've taken Chiriku's body after having defeated him rather soundly?"

"Yes, I've heard all of that," she said gloomily. She reached for the bottle and took another deep swig, ignoring the frown Jiraiya gave her for her actions. "That's why I sent them out in the first place. Until Naruto and Kakashi get back, you and I are one of the few ninja who could actually fight on level with these people."

"True as that is, Tsunade, you're sending several good ninja out to their deaths," Jiraiya said sternly. "You and I both know that half of the people you sent out there, half of the shinobi you commanded to search for these two men, are unable to hold their own against enemies of this caliber, of S-rank caliber."

"I _know_ Jiraiya," Tsunade said angrily. "I know what I did, and I'm not happy about it, but I'm _Hokage_, damn it, and I had to do it. Even if all they turn out to be is a distraction to keep Akatsuki's attention for a few hours, it's a few hours that we desperately need. In a few years, Naruto will be the strongest Shinobi we have. Already, he's at least Kakashi's level!"

"Maybe!" Jiraiya's voice rose to match hers. "But we can't pin all of our hopes on a single shinobi! We should have learned that the day Minato marched off to battle the Kyubi! _Every_ shinobi is capable of dying, whether we want to believe that or not! Shodai died, Nidaime died, Sarutobi-sensei died, Minato-kun died, Orochimaru died! _None_ of us is immortal, Tsunade, least of all a fifteen year old boy!"

"Maybe not!" shouted Tsunade. "But he'll surpass all of us! Shodai, Nidaime, Sandaime — Sarutobi-sensei —, Yondaime — Minato-kun —, Godaime — _me_ —, Densetsu no Sannin, Hanzo the Salamander, Rikudô Sennin — he'll be better than all of us! You can see it, too, Jiraiya! _That's_ why you started training him in the first place!"

"But that's the point, Tsunade!" Jiriaya said angrily, pounding his fist on the desk. "He _hasn't_ yet! He's strong — damn strong! — but he's not strong enough yet! He's still growing. He still needs time before he has broken all of those previous records. But the way you're going, _he might die before he gets the chance_!"

"No, he won't!" Tsunade denied vehemently. "You and I have both seen it! No matter what the odds, no matter who he faces, Naruto has _never_ been forced to use the Kyubi's chakra in _all_ the time we've known him! And you and I both know, Jiraiya, that the Kyubi would _force_ its chakra on him if he thought Naruto was going to die!"

"Damn it, Tsunade, that's not the point!" Jiraiya growled angrily. "You're risking his life unnecessarily! He's strong, but even he can't face the entire Akatsuki and come out with his life! All of them are dangerous S-class shinobi who have their names practically _engraved_ into the Bingo books! Naruto is only one person!"

"And once he kills these other two, that'll leave the Akatsuki with a total of four people!" Tsunade responded in kind. She flashed four fingers in his face. "Four, Jiraiya! Four! With a number like that, you, me, Naruto, and Itachi could annihilate them! They wouldn't stand a snowball's chance!"

"But, Tsunade!" Jiraiya started.

"Jiraiya," Tsunade said seriously. "As soon as Naruto defeats these two jokers and recovers from all his injuries, I'm going to allow you and him to check up on that lead you were telling me about the other day."

Jiraiya paused, "You're serious."

"Yes, I am," Tsunade said.

"Fine," Jiraiya said through tight lips. "But keep one of these" — he stabbed a tri-pronged kunai into her desk — "on you at all times, just incase things get hairy and we need to make a hasty escape."

"If that's what it takes to get you to drop this issue, Jiraiya," Tsunade replied evenly, "then that's exactly what I'll do."

Without another word, Jiraiya left her office.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The building was long and white, with red panels along the awnings on the sides. It wasn't much to look at, considering that it was run down and decrepit, but it served its purpose well and the disheveled look made it all the less suspicious. After all, who would think that this humble and crumbling building was actually an exchange point for bounties?

That was the point. If you were a bounty hunter, you wouldn't want other bounty hunters or, worse yet, high-class shinobi to catch you off guard and steal your bounty from you, would you? So what better way to keep your prize safe and get the money you deserved than to hide it in some place no one would ever think to look?

This was the building two figures approached, one with his head and face obscured save for his demonic eyes, and the other with slicked-back gray hair and purple eyes carrying a large, three bladed scythe. The former turned to enter the building, catching the attention of his companion, "Hey, where are you going? The bathroom?"

His partner gave him no response, so, with a smirk, he said, "Fine. Wait up." and followed him.

The bathroom was indeed where they wound up, the masked man carrying a graying corpse over his shoulder. He stopped in the middle of the room, then turned to a blank section of the wall, as if it held the answer to all of life's mysteries. He pressed a hand up against the stone and, after a pause, the wall fell away. The gray-haired man could only stare.

"This is the exchange point," the masked man, Kakuzu, said stoically.

"Why the _hell_ did they pick a bathroom, anyway?" Kakuzu's partner, Hidan, asked irritably.

A man looked out from the fallen section of wall, his head bald and scarred, "This way, please."

They followed him through the wall, Hidan a bit more hesitantly than Kakuzu, and into a large dark room. At the far wall, there were thousands and thousands of what appeared to be filing drawers. As they came upon them, though, and the bald man opened one of them, Hidan realized that this was where the bounties were stored.

"Here, please," the bald man stated.

Grunting in acknowledgement, Kakuzu hefted Chiriku up and set him down on the drawer. Hidan looked on uninterestedly, "Make it quick, will you?"

The bald man was flipping through a book, looking up the face of the man lying on the drawer. As he reached it, the page marked 'Chiriku', he compared the picture to the face on the dead man and nodded to himself, snapping the book shut as he said, "There's not mistaking it. That's Chiriku. You caught yourself a big one, Kakuzu-san."

"Yeah," Kakuzu grunted stoically.

The man walked over to the lateral wall and pulled from a safe a suitcase of money, grabbing it and making his way back to Kakuzu. He set it down and Kakuzu unsnapped the hinges, checking the contents almost suspiciously.

"This place reeks!" Hidan said suddenly. "Let's go already, Kakuzu!"

"Hang on," Kakuzu said, "I need to count the money."

"I can't tell whether the stench is piss or if it's that body," Hidan said, scowling angrily, "but seriously, it's damn gross. I'm going back outside!"

Walking back outside, Hidan marched down the steps and plopped onto the last one angrily. He watched birds feed off of something on the ground, but could find nothing in it that would soothe his anger. He lifted up his sleeve and took a tentative whiff, then scoffed angrily, "Damn, that's nasty!"

He flung the cloth away from his face as fast as he could, "I was in there for all of about five minutes, and already that stench has sunk into my clothes!"

Footsteps from behind him caught his attention and he turned his head slightly, "Took you long enough, Kakuzu."

Whatever else he might have said was cut off as he realized that Kakuzu wasn't the one standing behind him. He leapt to his feet, maneuvering the cord of his scythe as several of his enemy's shuriken came flying towards him. The metal cord deflected them in several different directions, protecting him.

Pulling on the cord, Hidan flung the sharp blades in Asuma's direction. Asuma jumped out of the way, but Hidan's attack had left him vulnerable on both sides to a flanking formation, proved when Izumo and Kotetsu came towards him with their large blades drawn and poised to strike.

In that instant, Hidan also found that he couldn't move, and saw, at his feet, a long shadow reaching towards him. Sitting atop the building was a teenager in standard Chûnin garb with his hands in a hand seal and a long, dark shadow reaching out from his feet. He had a smug grin on his face, as if all had gone according to his plan.

"Too slow!" Shikamaru said victoriously.

Izumo and Kotetsu's weapons sunk past his coat and into his flesh, giving him a mortal wound. Asuma appeared again, his mouth already moving, "That's one down."

There was a long pause, as though the Konoha team was savoring its victory. Izumo and Kotetsu were the first to recognize something was wrong, which became evident as Hidan spoke once again, "Man, that hurt like hell. What's the matter with you?"

"What's going on?" Kotetsu gasped out. "We hit his vital organs!"

"Stop shaking!" Hidan whined. "That really hurts!"

"Is he…immortal?"

"No shit, dumbass," Hidan said sarcastically. "Now, who the hell are you people?"

At this point, he caught sight of Asuma's sash, "Ah, that sash. That belongs to those Ninja Guardians. Aw, man. I'm going to have to go inside that hellhole of an exchange point again."

"We're shinobi from Konoha," Asuma said firmly. "We've been ordered to either capture or exterminate Akatsuki. As you Akatsuki work in two man teams, we'd planned on capturing one of you after eliminating the other. But…" — he pulled out his trench knives — "you've got some serious power."

"Well," Hidan chuckled, "you guys really screwed up the order."

"Where's your partner?" Asuma demanded.

There was a gasp from Shikamaru, and that section of the building suddenly collapsed as it became apparent that Hidan's partner had appeared. The dust from the destruction cleared slowly, but as it did, Shikamaru appeared fine and undamaged. In fact, standing behind him, with Kakuzu's fist trapped in his right hand, was…Uchiha Itachi.

"Kakuzu-san," Itachi said stoically. "It's been a while."

"Itachi," Kakuzu breathed, "you traitor…"

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach **

**Bishamonten is the Buddhist God of War. As Daiguren, Hyôrinmaru's first Bankai form, is a reference to certain Buddhist symbols and symbolisms, I thought it appropriate that the second Bankai form would also be a reference to a Buddhist symbol. In this case, I chose the God of War, Bishamonten. Thus, Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru was born.**

**How many of you knew that the second Bankai form was coming when I introduced the Hyôrinmaru Nishiki Shikai last chapter? Be honest, now. And this is the end to Hyôrinmaru's multiple forms. New attacks might be made and used, but Daiguren Hyôrinmaru and Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru are where the different forms end.**

**And, I've **_**technically**_** done as all of the people who voted on my "Yondaime's Resurrection" poll asked. I brought back the Fourth, and, at the same time, didn't, and I made him more important to the plot, and he only returned for a short time. Oh, the joy of loopholes! I would have been roasted on a spit if I actually favored one over the other.**

_**Kuro ni Aseru, Kimi no Na wo Yobu… (Fade to Black, I Call Your Name)**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	17. Chapter X: B Side

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Ten: Last Order**

**— o.0.O.O.0.o — **

"To be a traitor," Itachi said calmly, his eyes narrowing slightly, "I would first have to have been loyal to Akatsuki."

Beneath his mask, Kakuzu's face twisted into an angry snarl, "You…"

In his shock, Shikamaru's concentration wavered, something that Hidan noticed as he cried, "He released the technique!"

"Kotetsu!" Asuma shouted, brandishing his trench knives defensively, "Izumo! Fall back!"

Kakuzu's gaze moved, his eyes widening slightly as he caught sight of the sash hanging from the Jônin's waist. Murmuring to himself, he said, "So that one in the center really is…"

He glanced over at his partner, "I see the lure of money's got you for once, Hidan."

"Kakuzu, you handle Itachi," Hidan said, gripping his scythe tightly as a maniacal grin crossed his lips. "I'm going to use these other four for my ceremony! The money is all yours!"

"Works for me," Kakuzu said nonchalantly. "Just don't underestimate them. You'll get yourself killed."

"Like they could pull it off," Hidan scoffed arrogantly. He began drawing a symbol on the ground in his own blood. "If they could kill me, I'd let them."

The design, a circle with a triangle inside of it, was finished, and Hidan's voice had a menacing edge to it, "But that's not happening, is it?"

"What's he going to do with that diagram?" Shikamaru whispered, brow furrowed in frustration.

"Be careful," came Itachi's smooth warning. "After he obtains a sample of your blood, any damage he does to himself while inside that circle will be done to you."

"Aw, you ruin all the fun!" Hidan whined childishly.

"I'll take the lead," Asuma muttered, eyes narrowed. "Shikamaru, when you see an opening, stop him with your Shadow Sewing. If you can keep him occupied long enough, I'll lop off his head and hopefully stop him from interfering further."

"That's too risky," Shikamaru hissed. "This isn't like you!"

"It's the best strategy we've got right now," Asuma said solemnly. Hidan pulled the long, thick weapons out of his body, then swung his scythe into the dirt. "This guy's a hell of a lot stronger than me."

There was a pause, then, at some unheard signal, the battle began. Asuma leapt forward, trench knives alight with deadly chakra. Hidan met his charge and attacked with one of the stolen weapons. It shattered upon impact with the knives, and Shikamaru's shadow dove forward in tendrils, seeking to latch onto Hidan.

The silver-haired man, however, would not be caught, and jumped upward, launching his scythe toward his foe. Asuma dodged slightly out of the way and the three blades dug into the dirt. Hidan pulled the second stolen weapon out and zipped forward along the cord of his weapon. Like its predecessor, the second stolen sword was destroyed easily.

Hidan landed on his feet, tossing a smirk back at Asuma, "You've got some nice knives."

"So, Itachi," Kakuzu started conversationally, "are we going to fight, or just stand here?"

"I'm waiting for my back up," Itachi said calmly.

"Back up?" Kakuzu asked disbelievingly.

"Yes," Itachi replied, still a cool as if he were talking about the weather. "He's blonde, about Asuma's height, with bright blue eyes? Couldn't miss him."

Kakuzu let out a harsh laugh, "The great Uchiha Itachi needs back up?"

"Not really," Itachi said nonchalantly, "not if I don't care about my teammates, anyway. But, you see…Asuma-san and his team are precious to me. Were I to fight now with no concern for their safety, they would most assuredly die."

"Compassion makes you weak," Kakuzu growled.

"Not really," Itachi replied coolly. Without warning, his right hand whipped out, tossing three kunai in the direction of the other battle and knocking Hidan's scythe away from Shikamaru. One of the three blades fell off, sliced away from the whole.

Red Sharingan eyes turned back to face their opponent's teal, the owner's lips forming syllables, "One word, Kakuzu-san…Boom."

Kakuzu had time to slam his hands together as his eyes widened and say just one word in response, "Shit!"

The Itachi standing near Kakuzu exploded in a violent gush of chakra, kicking up a large cloud of smoke that obscured the results. A dark figure flew out of the haze, skin dark and undamaged, but his cloak's sleeves and upper front nearly disintegrated. Stitches covered him all over, dominating the visible portions of his flesh.

Another Itachi appeared from nowhere, standing right behind his former ally. Pushing a single finger forward, Itachi leaned down and whispered in Kakuzu's ear, "That's one."

The finger sunk through Kakuzu's flesh as if it were liquid, letting out a violent spray of blood. Kakuzu collapsed forward, for all appearances, dead. Itachi looked at his bloody finger calmly, murmuring to himself, "Four more to go."

"This isn't looking good," Asuma muttered, scowling. "Itachi can handle that other guy, but if things get too serious, we'll all be caught in the crossfire."

"Then we just take out this guy," Kotetsu said reasonably, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Easier said than done," Shikamaru whispered gravely. "He's moving too quickly for us to hit him, let alone trap him. To attempt anything particularly ambitious would be tantamount to suicide."

"Shikamaru's right," Asuma admitted. "If we weren't here, Itachi could probably wipe the floor with these guys. As long as we are, Itachi can't pull out his best stuff without worrying about us getting caught in the middle. But if we try to run, it's the same thing. Fighting at his current level, holding back as much as he is, Itachi wouldn't be able to buy us enough time to run away without pulling out all the stops. It'd be a moot point."

"Three years ago, I never thought I'd say this, but," Shikamaru murmured, brow furrowed, "we need Naruto."

"I know he's good," Izumo said, "but what difference could Naruto make?"

"A lot," Asuma said bitterly. "Shikamaru's right. We need someone who has experience fighting guys like these. We need someone on their level. We _need_ Naruto."

"I suppose," a familiar voice chimed in, "if you need me _that_ badly, I could lend you a hand."

A tall figure appeared in front of them, his white cloak billowing around him and the flames printed onto the bottom seeming to move in the wind. His blonde hair was free and spiky, uninhibited by the hitai-ate tied around his right biceps, and, printed on the back of his cloak were the words, 'Konoha no Ryûjin', obscured only by a green sash and a black sheath.

Naruto tossed a smirk over his shoulder, "But you owe me one."

He unsheathed his sword, shouting, "Oi, Itachi! Want to switch?"

The dark-haired Uchiha glanced in his direction, shrugged and replied with, "Why not?"

In a blur, the two of them had traded places and Itachi stood in front of Asuma and his group, speaking to them calmly, "Asuma-san, Kotetsu-san, Izumo-san, Shikamaru-san, please find cover."

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, whisker marks on the cheeks," Kakuzu grinned as he stood, shedding his cloak, "you must be the Kyubi Jinchuriki. Your head is worth even more than that other guy's."

"I like my head where it is, thanks," Naruto said coolly, lifting his sword up. The sky darkened and water swirled up from the blade's hilt, twisting around the sharpened steel like twin snakes. A downward slash released a gigantic dragon that wound forward. Kakuzu raised his hands in a seal again, his skin turning dark, but it proved meaningless as the beast swerved away from him.

Instead, it struck Hidan's legs, washing over him as he swore up a storm and tried to lift himself out of the water, "Damn it! What the hell?"

As the torrent subsided, the sodden clothes Hidan was wearing started to ice over and the wet ground became slick and hard. Kakuzu's brow knitted together as he scrutinized the scene, then turned his inhuman eyes back on the blonde teen grinning at him. In a soft growl, he spoke, "Your target was never me. You washed away Hidan's circle."

"I guess you're the brains out of the two of you?" Naruto said calmly, hair and cloak fluttering in a sudden breeze. He jerked toward the left, taking a step back with that foot and holding his sword next to his hip as if he were about to draw it from a scabbard. Kakuzu raised an eyebrow at this, but merely settled down, prepared to guard against this new threat.

The sword slashed in a horizontal arc, sending a thin curve of light shooting forwards at astounding speeds. Kakuzu activated his armor defense and held his arms up in a block. The arc crashed against his skin violently, but was cold and freezing instead of sharp and stabbing. He felt it try to cut through him, but it could not. It was _water_.

The rest of the beam dug into the ground behind him, cutting gouges into the soft soil. On his arms, and from these new trenches in the earth, ice grew, spiking up behind him and frosting over on his skin. He flexed his arms and the thin layer of frozen liquid shattered like delicate glass.

The sky was still dark and both fighters' breaths came out in little clouds and streams of steam, before dissolving into the air. Naruto's eyes, bright and vibrant, seemed to glow with some hidden power as he reached up and unzipped his vest down to his collarbone. With a little nudging, a luminescent red orb, no bigger than his thumbnail and perfectly spherical, popped out, hanging from a strong-looking black thread by way of a dragon's claw made of pure silver.

"That looks valuable," Kakuzu remarked greedily. He eyed it with a hunger that looked like it would strain his sight.

"It is," Naruto smirked, leaving the pendant to hang innocently, "but you'll never get the chance to learn why."

Kakuzu didn't respond, merely grunting as four creatures detached from his back, standing up as hulking black masses with grotesque masks as their only real identifier. Immediately, one of them melted into a pile of goop. Kakuzu didn't seem bothered or surprised by this fact, so Naruto revised what Itachi had told him and Jiraiya about his opponent.

Kakuzu was incredibly greedy to a fault, often putting money above the objective of his mission. He had five hearts, four of which turned into these mask creatures and were extremely dangerous. The fifth heart stayed in Kakuzu's body, sustaining him. Therefore, one needed to take out all five hearts to kill Kakuzu.

Naruto's smirked widened a bit. And Itachi seemed to have taken care of one of them already, leaving four more to be destroyed.

"Orochimaru didn't exaggerate your powers," Kakuzu said in his raspy voice. The remaining three creatures tensed behind him in preparation. "Your hitai-ate, though, reminds me of the first Konoha ninja I fought. The First Hokage, I mean."

A slight widening of his eyes was all that gave away Naruto's surprise, "You fought the First?"

Kakuzu snorted, "Are we here to fight, or not?"

Naruto grinned, "Right."

A swing of his sword summoned a colossal water dragon that immediately sought out Kakuzu. The man merely stood still, but one of his beasts took over. A ball of fire gathered in front of its open mouth, and was then launched forward like a bullet. It collided with its liquid adversary, exploding upon contact.

The dragon would not be defeated so easily, however, and swallowed the ball of flames before it detonated. Water sprayed everywhere and steam rose in thick clouds from the point of impact, obscuring Kakuzu's widened eyes as he realized that his technique had been halted by mere water.

A rushing sound was all the warning he got before a second dragon came barreling through the mist, red eyes gleaming maliciously. Kakuzu leapt overtop of it, watching as it consumed his lightning mask. He almost let the relief wash over him; it could be salvaged as long as it was intact.

It was dashed nearly as quickly. Naruto appeared in front of the frozen mask beast, sword sinking into the ice as if it were butter. Kakuzu could only watch in horror and rage as the ice was cracked by a thin knife of the same substance and his beast's head was split nearly in half.

Turning around, the blonde unleashed another serpentine monster at him, sending the blue beast soaring upwards effortlessly. Kakuzu silently commanded his Fire mask to unleash another blast to destroy the water dragon and moved his hands into a seal. The instant the small ball of flame was released, Kakuzu's skin turned a dark brown and hardened.

There was another explosion of water and superheated steam as the fire clashed with the dragon. Kakuzu, however, was unharmed as he landed safely on the ground, the earth around his feet forming slight craters as his hardened and denser body came to a halt. He looked up at the boy with a glare that could kill a Genin.

"Two down," Naruto taunted lightly in a sing-song voice.

He received no warning before the Fire and Wing masked beasts launched a combined assault on him. The resulting explosion and flames quickly engulfed him and he disappeared within their depths. A deep sense of satisfaction welled up inside of Kakuzu, bringing a smile the stretched across his face beneath his mask.

The sound of steel cutting through flesh and fabric reached his ears and he turned around as quick as he could, his neck cracking loudly at the speed. The blonde boy stood up from his kneeling position, flicking the blood off his blade with a sharp swipe to the side. His left hand jerked up, a tri-pronged kunai spinning on his middle finger for but a moment before he holstered it again on his left thigh. Belatedly, Kakuzu noticed that, though he was right-handed, his kunai and shuriken holster was strapped to his left leg.

"You…" Kakuzu growled, staring at the remains of his Wind mask.

"It's a very useful technique," Naruto stated neutrally, his face set in stone. "Fast, untraceable, incapable of being copied, and it uses _no chakra whatsoever_."

Another kunai seemed to leap into his left hand and was promptly thrown into the dirt. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, "I can tell where everyone within twenty meters of this kunai is standing. As long as it has a pulse or has a significant amount of chakra, I can find it."

Glowing blue eyes snapped open, "I'm very lucky I know that technique, or else I would very likely have been torn to shreds by that last jutsu of yours."

"I'd recognize that anywhere," Kakuzu grumbled irritably, eyes narrowing. "Where did you learn the Hiraishin no Jutsu?"

Naruto smirked lightly, "You seem to be forgetting that my father is its creator. Did you really think it impossible for me to know his most powerful technique?"

"Whatever," Kakuzu drawled in his raspy voice. He silently recalled his last beast. "I know when I'm outmatched. You got the element of surprise on me, kid, or else I would have beaten you into a bloody—"

As his final mask moved to rejoin his body, it was intercepted by the blonde teen. With a sickening squelch and a sharp ring, the Fire mask was bisected down the middle by the silvery blade of Hyôrinmaru. Immediately, Kakuzu's rage sprung to the surface again and he began shifting into his most powerful form as he let out a roar.

He never got the chance. Faster than he could track, Naruto's sword had sailed forward and sunk into his chest and through his heart. His final heart. With a gasp, he started to stumble backwards, desperately trying to gather air in his lungs as his vision began to fade. His bare back collided with the soft, wet ground, driving the oxygen from his chest.

His final sight was a shining gleam as the blonde slashed at him and detached his head.

Rolling his shoulders back, Naruto let out a sigh, his eyes closed. He paused a moment, then frowned. Muttering to himself, he said, "Two more, huh? Hidan over there and…that…_plant_ guy over in the trees."

He reached up and tugged at the gem around his neck. It came free rather easily and he held it up, as if examining it, "Guess it's your time to shine."

Clenching it in his fist, he shouted, "Itachi, Minna-san, out of the way!"

Alarmed, Itachi and Asuma's team dodged out of the way, just in time to avoid being swallowed up by a dragon of icy water. Hidan wasn't so lucky and took the full brunt of the attack, suddenly finding himself frozen in place and unable to move. He struggled, but it was pointless. He was immobilized from the neck down, "Damn it!"

"Get as far away from here as you can," Naruto warned his comrades. He held up the gem, which began to glow, "Kimi no na wo yobu…" (I call your name)

Itachi's eyes widened into saucers as he saw the gem begin to glow. Turning to his comrades, he hissed, in a tone that brooked no argument, "Run!"

Immediately, the group of five fled the scene, dashing off into the woods at blinding speeds. As soon as he felt they were far enough away, the blonde let out a sigh and finished his sentence, "…Hyôrinmaru."

There was a bright light and an intense feeling of vertigo as he shot up into the air like a bullet, his feet pressed against hard blue scales and his nose tickled by the cool wind. He opened his eyes and found himself standing atop the crowned head of Hyôrinmaru, the ground several meters below him.

"It works," he breathed. "That old pervert actually made this thing right!"

"Indeed he did," came the answer, but it wasn't spoken aloud.

Naruto took in and let out a deep breath, "This summoning gem of his actually works. So this is what he needed my blood for."

He reached up and replaced the gem. It seemed to zoom out of his fingers and into the three toes of the silver dragon claw, attached snugly. He looked down at the ground below, at the awed and motionless Hidan and felt the two enemy signatures within range. Itachi and the others were long gone.

"There are two of them," Naruto said calmly, talking to the dragon. "We need to scatter them to the winds."

"Then," Hyôrinmaru started out slowly, "we're going to use it?"

"Yes," Naruto replied. "A Kidô modified to such a level and with such destructive potential that only one name really suits it — Mega Flare."

With a grunt that sounded more like a growl, Hyôrinmaru spread his large, feathery wings and shot up into the sky. Naruto glued himself to the beast's scales with his chakra, kneeling down as the large creature performed various aerial stunts to place himself at an optimal angle for his attack.

Once that angle had been found, the dragon stopped in midair, bobbing up and down slightly as he flapped his great wings. His mouth opened, revealing two opposing rows of dangerously sharp teeth. Between his jaws, an azure blue orb began to form, growing slightly larger with each passing moment.

Finally, as it began to grow too large to contain, the great beast leaned his head back, Naruto holding onto his spiked crown as his feet glued him to his scales. With a sudden jerk, the dragon's head shot forward, as if he were spitting something out. The ball of energy leapt from his mouth, shooting downwards at blinding speeds.

The collision with the ground was a sight to see, as the blue orb pulsed upon impact, but the explosion that resulted was even more magnificent. The azure ball grew in size, quickly consuming the entirety of the bounty station and most of the surrounding area, casting a pale blue glow on the untouched trees and all that was spared its wrath. Then, in a flash of white light, it vanished.

A crater was left behind, however, one that was several meters deep and nearly twice as wide. Pulling out a tri-pronged kunai, he tossed it into the crater and closed his eyes, waiting for it to land. When it did, a couple seconds later, he let out a sigh. He could sense no one, no presence within the range of the kunai.

"Good job, Hyôrinmaru," Naruto said calmly. With a nod, the beast began to fade away. Naruto leapt off of his head, doing a flip in midair as the dragon vanished in a flash of blue. He too vanished in a flash, this time of yellow, and appeared next to the kunai he had thrown, landing effortlessly.

"Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, Hidan, Kakuzu, and Zetsu," the blonde recited as he picked up his kunai. He looked at it, frowning thoughtfully. "That leaves Konan, Tobi, and Pein."

Naruto's glowing blue eyes gleamed fiercely.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

An orange haired man looked up at his partner, both his and her features hazy in the dark tower. Clouds hung in the sky outside, blanketing the entire village in darkness. Blue eyes, inside of which were several thin rings that surrounded his pupils, seemed almost to glow in the dark.

"He's late," the orange-haired man said calmly. His partner didn't respond. "Zetsu is never late."

"Should we assume the worst, then?" the blue haired maiden asked in a soft, melodic voice. It was easy to see why the villager's called her an angel, if the voice hadn't already given it away. She was easily a very beautiful woman, with delicate features unmarred by war and famine and luminescent eyes.

"We cannot be sure what has detained him," the orange haired man said, turning his gaze towards the dark shadows that surrounded them. A small frown pulled at his lips, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Zetsu is not one to engage in combat," the woman remarked calmly. She didn't seem overly concerned with the supposed fate of her comrade, and neither did the man across from her. It seemed almost as if they were discussing the abysmal weather outside, rather than whether or not someone had died.

"True," the man replied, "but it is not entirely impossible that Hidan and Kakuzu got into another fight that is simply lasting longer than expected. After all, that's what Zetsu does, isn't it? He's our 'lookout'."

"How nice," she said stoically, "it sounds almost as if you care."

He glared at her, her lips quirking into a small smile. With a flash of sudden lightning, however, it was gone, almost as if it had never been there. The man scoffed, turning his gaze back to the shadows of the room as rain pounded against the walls and ceiling.

"Things are progressing smoothly," the man said, changing the subject. "With our recent sealing of the two-tails and Tobi's capture and delivery of the three tails, it won't be long before our plans come to fruition."

"And then, the world will be at peace," the woman said softly.

"Yes," the man acknowledged. "But, before that, we'll have to take care of Madara. We cannot allow him to influence the outcome or else everything could fall apart. As long as he is a factor, we cannot ignore his inevitable clash with us."

"You're right," Konan said calmly, "but he may not be our fiercest opponent in all of this."

Pein glanced in her direction, "You speak of the Namikaze boy? The container of the fearsome Nine-Tailed Fox?"

"Not only he," Konan said warily, "but Jiraiya-sama as well."

"I fear you are right," Pein admitted. "Alone, perhaps we could defeat them. But should they fight together, then one of us could never be enough to have any chance of victory."

Konan looked at him, "Then let us pray that day never comes."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun shined brightly, hanging high in the midday sky as it bathed the people beneath it in warmth and light. The streets were bustling with activity, citizens and ninja alike going about their daily business. Vendors called out to passersby, offering their products in a way that might appeal to the average person.

Carved into the front of a large, long mountain, the faces of the five Hokage stared out over the village, watching its inhabitants stonily and casting a solemn gaze over those they had sworn to protect in life. Each wore a stern expression and, despite the large crack in the Sandaime's chiseled features, none of the firmness of their faces was lost to age or wear.

Two people sat out in this sun, their faces and upper bodies protected by the banners of an outdoor restaurant with the words 'Ichiraku Ramen' spelled out on the outside. One was a girl, sitting on the right side of a boy with spiky blonde hair, the one who was doing the actually talking. He was reading from a sheet that was written in his untidy scrawl.

"When the war of the beasts brings about the worlds end," Naruto read, "the Goddess descends from the sky, wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift…everlasting."

"Wow," Hinata whispered, watching him as he smiled and held up a finger.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess," he continued, reading from a different sheet. "We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest."

"Loveless, Act one," a voice said. The pair turned around, watching as Jiraiya smiled at them and sat down next to Hinata. He cast a glance over at Naruto, shaking his head lightly. Naruto smiled, setting the piece of paper down as his mentor ordered a chicken ramen from the shop owner, Teuchi.

"You remembered," he remarked, folding the papers up and sticking them inside his kunai pouch.

"How can I not," Jiraiya thumped his middle and index finger up against the side of his skull, "when you've beaten it into my head?"

"You _are_ the one who told me to write my own books if I thought yours weren't any good," Naruto pointed out, smirking lightly.

"I suppose I was," Jiraiya conceded. He ate some of his ramen, turning to his godson as he swallowed. "So, how far have you come along with that piece of yours?"

"I'm working on Act two," Naruto told him. "There are a few bits of it that I'm not all that confident of, so it's a slow process, but still quite satisfying. Here…"

He pulled out a sheet of paper, reciting, "There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess, Hero of the Dawn, Healer of Worlds…"

He trailed off, "I'm stuck here. I can't decide what to put next."

Jiraiya chewed on more of his ramen, then was struck by an idea, gesturing for Naruto to give him the paper. As he did, the older man grabbed the nearest writing utensil and scribbled a few words down, then handed the piece of paper back to the blonde, who read it aloud eagerly.

"Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul," he echoed the words on the paper. He scribbled more beneath that line, adding in his own bits now that Jiraiya had started him off. "Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end…is nigh."

"Wow," Hinata said as Naruto put the paper away, eyes wide. "Where did you guys learn to write like that?"

"I don't know where he learned it," Naruto said, finally turning to eat his own ramen. Through a mouthful of food, he continued, "but I learned it from him."

"That's such a good story, Naruto-kun," Hinata said softly, waiting for her food to cool a little bit before she ate. "It's starting to get a little dark, but the emotion, the feeling…it's so _intense_."

"I can't wait until it's finished," she added as she dug in to her meal. "That one's so good, they'll probably still be reading it a thousand years from now."

Naruto swallowed, looking at her eagerly, "Do you really think so?"

"Mmhm," Hinata answered. "You really have some talent, Naruto-kun."

"I'm sorry to ruin this little outing," Jiraiya said, suddenly deathly serious. His ramen was completely gone, "but, Naruto, you and I have a mission we're going on."

Naruto nodded as he finished eating, "All right. What should I pack?"

"Nothing," Jiraiya told him. "For this mission, we need to be as inconspicuous as possible. You have thirty minutes. Meet me at the north gate."

Without another word, he stood and left.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Tsunade keeled over and gave a great lurch, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the ground. After a couple seconds of retching, she paused and panted for breath. Then, her back arched again and she tried, in vain, to stop the bile from rising up the back of her throat. She was unsuccessful.

The process went like this for a few moments as the alcohol was purged from her body, landing on the ground with a splash and mixed with her stomach acid. Finally, as her body finished, she stood shakily, still panting as if she had run a marathon. Her drinking partner helped steady her.

"Geez," Jiraiya said, holding onto her as she tried to regain her footing. She still swayed a little, "you're even worse with sake than I am. Let's take a break."

Somehow, the two of them managed to cross the whole village without knocking into anything or tripping and found themselves leaning back against a bench under the bright sunlight. Jiraiya had one hand atop the scroll that he always carried, the other on his knee as he tried to keep himself steady.

"You're dealing with someone who's strong enough to keep Akatsuki in line," Tsunade said seriously, no sign of a slur in her voice. "We have no idea what his power is or how strong he is…and you and Naruto are just going to waltz right into his turf, just like that. You _have_ to be drunk."

"Yeah," Jiraiya looked about to stand, "I guess I should get going, then."

"Come back alive," Tsunade said suddenly. She looked down at her hands, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "If I lose you too, I…"

"Are you going to cry for me?" Jiraiya laughed drunkenly. "I'm honored! I don't suppose I'll get as many tears as Dan did, though."

"Asshole," Tsunade muttered angrily.

"All right, how about we put your gambling skills to use," Jiraiya suggested. "You always pick the losing bet. Put everything you have on me dying, and, in return, I'll come back alive and well."

"What?" Tsunade asked quietly, appalled.

"Haha! I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" Jiraiya laughed again. "I'm very grateful to you, you know. Getting dumped always makes a man stronger. And if he hasn't experienced it enough to laugh about it or use it as material, he can't fulfill his duties as a man."

"So it's the man's responsibility to be strong, eh?" Tsunade asked amusedly.

"Pretty much," Jiraiya confirmed. "But, then again, men aren't meant to pursue happiness."

"Bah," Tsunade said, a laugh in her voice, "you men are all alike. Without women around, there'd be no one to reject your advances and toughen you up!"

"Very true!" Jiraiya chuckled.

"Send one of your toads if you get in a tight spot you can't escape from," Tsunade said seriously. "I'll come and back you up immediately."

"I don't think so," Jiraiya remarked. "No matter what, you absolutely have to remain in the village. This place relies on you to keep it together."

"There are plenty of other worthy candidates for Hokage," she said, looking down.

Jiraiya, who had stood up earlier, said, "How are people supposed to be comfortable living here if their leader keeps changing? You're the best person for the job in the village and that's that."

"We've got Kakashi," she said, "and Naruto, eventually."

"Kakashi's a given," he argued, "but Naruto still has a little more improving to do before he's ready, even if you did see fit to give him your necklace."

"You're one to talk," she remarked, "you crammed him full of power. You even taught him the Rasengan!"

"Yeah, and maybe I shouldn't have," he grinned. "It felt like I was teaching Minato again!"

"Namikaze Minato," she mumbled, "the resemblance is uncanny."

"Minato had talent you only see once a decade, at best," he laughed mirthlessly. "No one like him has been born in a while…besides Naruto, anyways. He was such a nice kid, but his guts and his desire to succeed were the fiercest I've ever seen. And, in the blink of an eye, he was Fourth Hokage. I never had kids, so I wouldn't know, but…if he was my son, I'd be bragging all the time."

"Hearing you say that," Tsunade commented, "makes me think of how different they are, too. I mean, he has a lot in common with his father besides his looks, but he's definitely got quite a bit of his mother in him, too. It'd be hard if you made me choose which one he's more like."

"A female ninja of the former Uzumaki no Kuni," Jiraiya said lightly, searching for her name.

"His personality and ninjutsu style," Tsunade began, "are very similar to Uzumaki Kushina's."

"That was her name!" Jiraiya exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "I remember, with that red hair, the constant jabbering, and that tomboyish demeanor, she was just like one of the boys!"

"Kushina became so beautiful as she grew up," she said, "but Naruto does look remarkably like his father."

"That's why I see _him_ in Naruto," he insisted. "I have to admit, I've come to think of him as my own grandson."

He picked up his scroll, "Okay, so I'll be off."

A thought struck him, "Oh, and one last bit of advice. Be careful of Root."

"I know," she assured him.

Jiraiya laughed, "That's a relief!"

As he left, Tsunade couldn't shake the dark feeling that this would be the last time she saw him.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

In the Hidden Rain Village, the weather was much as it usually was: raining. The sky was dark and overcast, puffy clouds indistinguishable from one another as they let loose a torrential downpour that would have soaked the inhabitants were it not for the protective gear they all wore.

Tall buildings reached towards the heavens above, but none were nearly as tall as the one building that mattered most, the building where the leader of the village resided, atop a tall tower with impressive architecture. Most did not often meet with this man, much less see his face and know his true name. They simply called him God.

The only one who had any contact with this man they treated as a deity was his right hand, the one referred to only as 'God's Angel'. All knew her face, and all knew that she was a beauty unlike any other in any other village.

Two figures stepped from their boat, both wearing coats to protect against the weather with the hoods up to disguise their appearances. They walked down the streets, wandering through the many roads and taking in the buildings surrounding them as they went. No one paid them any mind, despite that they looked slightly out of place.

Atop a tower, a man stood out in the rain, his cloak hiding his body and his orange hair defying both the water and the forces of gravity. To the woman behind him, he spoke, "Konan, when I stop the rain, use your jutsu to find these intruders."

"I'll take care of it," she responded calmly.

He flashed through hand seals, saying, as he stopped on the last one, "Here I go."

"Understood," she said, eyes half lidded as she put her hands in a seal.

"Welcome!" the white haired bartender cried jovially as two rain-nin walked into his bar. Off to the side, the blonde haired waiter rolled his eyes.

"It's just the two of us," the bearded one said as he took off his hat.

"So bring us some drinks and side dishes," the scarred one said. As they sat down, he turned to his companion. "Isn't today Sunday?"

"I heard Pein-sama had some stuff to do," the bearded one said. "These days, he might have to go to other countries."

"But to have it rain off schedule," the scarred one muttered, "this has never happened before."

"It must be quite a mission, then," the bearded one said.

"But if it goes on like this," the scarred one whined.

"Hey!" the bearded one exclaimed angrily. "Pein-sama has done quite a lot for the people of the streets. Just bear with it for a bit."

"Sorry to keep you gentlemen waiting," the bartender smiled, clasping his hands together.

"Hey, where's our food and drinks?" the scarred one asked.

"Since it's our grand opening today, we have some special services," the bartender said. He moved his hand into a hand seal. "The two of you sure are lucky today!"

In a puff of smoke, he was replaced with a white haired ninja. As the two rain-nin scrambled away, the ninja leapt onto the counter, grinning at them. The bearded one yelled, "You! Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the one who's going to do the asking around here," Jiraiya said playfully. "And I've got lots of questions!"

The walls around them morphed from wood and plaster into flesh and blood, the door disappearing completely. Before they could react, the soft, cushy walls had engulfed their hands and feet, trapping them. The blonde waiter, now dressed eerily similar to the Fourth Hokage, was sitting on the fleshy floor, waiting.

"From your seemingly low standards and mannerisms," Jiraiya said, "I'd guess you're the bottommost of the cannon fodder, right?"

"Where the hell are we?" the bearded one demanded.

"Inside the belly of my frog," Jiraiya stated plainly, as if he were speaking of the weather.

"You…You're that Sennin!" the bearded one shouted. "And that waiter! He's the Ryûjin, isn't he?"

"I thought I told you that I'm the one doing the questioning here," Jiraiya pulled out a soft black feather. Naruto winced lightly, rubbing at the back of his right shoulder, "didn't I?"

"What are you going to do with that feather?" the scarred one asked warily, eyeing it nervously.

"It's for tickling!" Jiraiya said excitedly. "If you don't want to get tickled to death, you better answer my questions like a good boy! Now, about your leader…Pein…"

The blonde teen stood up, walking forward, "I've got a better idea."

He leaned over the bearded one, closing his eyes halfway and propping himself up with his right arm. He leveled his strongest glare at the man, the atmosphere around him growing heavy and thick with malice as the air was driven from the ninja's lungs. In the darkest growl he could manage, he said, "_Talk_."

Stuttering nervously the man cried out, "Pein-sama resides within the tallest of the western towers!"

As Naruto backed away, the scarred man asked, "Are you…with the rebel Amegakure faction?"

"Rebel?" Jiraiya asked, blinking. "I thought this country was in civil war."

"I'm not surprised, considering how isolationistic this country is," the bearded man smirked. "The civil war is over…and we won! Pein-sama…he destroyed the former Amegakure single-handedly!"

"Impossible," Jiraiya muttered. Frowning, Naruto glanced at him. "No matter how strong this 'Pein' is, Amegakure's leader, Hanzou the Salamander, is renowned to the point that every shinobi everywhere will recognize his name!"

"That's right," the bearded man said. "Hanzou was not only very powerful, he was also highly cautious. Approaching his side is a feat in and of itself. Guards were stationed in 24 hour rotations and even children were searched before being allowed to see him."

"And how was Hanzou killed?" Jiraiya asked, face set in stone.

"That's just it," the bearded one laughed, "we don't know!"

Jiraiya let out a sigh, "I can't believe it…Hanzou, defeated? By one man?"

"This is a god we're talking about," the bearded one giggled insanely, "his jutsu are quite fearsome. But the true horror…the true horror of Pein-sama lies in his heart of steel! Those who might threaten his ideals are crushed mercilessly. Men, women, children, it didn't matter. If they knew Hanzou, they were exterminated. It was judgment."

A grin grew on his face, "Exactly like that of a God."

Pein raised his hands to the sky and the rain suddenly stopped, though dark clouds still rumbled far overhead. Without turning, he commanded, "Do it now, Konan."

"Yes," she replied, hands still in a seal. Her body peeled apart into countless pieces of paper, scattering to the winds and shaping themselves into thousands of little butterflies that fluttered outwards, searching for the ones who dared disturb the peace and harmony of the Hidden Rain Village.

As a frog surfaced from the river, it opened its mouth wide. From inside its belly, two figures pulled themselves free. The first was the bearded man, who turned around to address the frog as the scarred man picked saliva off of his clothing, scowling, "Hurry back to the Leaf Village. Find Ibiki. He'll know how to handle that guy."

"That's disgusting, you know," the scarred man said, lip curling in a sneer as the frog disappeared.

"Shush," the bearded man said. To himself, he muttered, "I really hope they fall for this."

He laid a hand against one of the pillars, walking forward with his partner and trying to act like he fit in. Neither of them noticed the paper butterfly as it fluttered on by, vanishing behind one of the corners and slowly forming into a beautiful woman with dark blue hair and an origami rose tucked above her right ear.

Standing atop a tower, and orange haired figure looked out over the city. Behind him, sheets of paper formed into a woman, who said, "It's Jiraiya…"

"Jiraiya-sensei?" the orange-haired man asked, his long hair pulled into a ponytail. "That takes me back."

"…and Naruto," Konan finished. Pein was silent, so she ventured. "What do we do, Pein?"

"Kill them, obviously," Pein said stoically, "and take the Nine-tails from the boy. I hold no love for our old sensei, and I _did_ bring this body out to kill an intruder. Tell me where he is."

"As you wish," a piece of paper broke off from her body and folded into a paper airplane, gliding in his direction. Her body started to fall back apart. "I'll hold them off until you get there."

"Don't mind me," Pein said. "If you can handle it on your own, do it."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Jiraiya and Naruto, disguised as the ninja they had captured, looked up as thousands of sheets of paper fluttered down from the sky, taking on a life of their own. As one, they managed to say, "What the—?" before it wrapped around them and trapped them in a prison with only their eyes free.

In front of Jiraiya, a woman formed, holding a spear made out of paper. As she poised it for his heart, however, and made to strike, the real Jiraiya rose from the shadow his full-body cast had made, taking a deep breath. He blew out, releasing a ball of fire, "Katon: Endan!" (Fireball)

As the paper caught fire, the cast that contained Naruto collapsed inwards and released a puff of smoke. All it had trapped was a Kage Bunshin. The woman frowned thoughtfully, staring at the white-haired man emotionlessly, "That can only be your toad silhouette technique."

"I always thought you were dead," Jiraiya remarked as he stood, Naruto appearing next to him with his sword drawn. "But, all this time, you were just a bunch of paper scattered to the winds, eh, Konan?"

"Y-you're," the bearded man stuttered as he stumbled away, "God's angel!"

"Now you're an angel?" Jiraiya teased. "A 'Messenger of God', as it were?"

"Leave now," she said to the bearded man, ignoring the other two.

With an anxious nod, the man leapt away frightfully. Naruto turned to Jiraiya, "Who is she, sensei?"

"An old student of mine," Jiraiya muttered. He raised his voice, asking Konan. "Who or what is Pein?"

"You don't need to know, sensei," she said calmly. She cast a glance at the blonde boy. "You seem to have forgotten about us anyway."

A pair of angelic wings formed on her back, composed of paper, and lifted her high into the air. Jiraiya gave her a disappointed stare, frowning sadly, "You really think you're an angel, don' you?"

"I must kill you," she said. From her wings shot hundreds of papers, each one folded into a point at one end. "It is the will of God."

Jiraiya rolled out of the way, cheeks bulging as he went through hand seals at light speed. Naruto thrust his right palm out, energy glowing around the skin as he called out the name of his counterattack, "Hadô no Sanjuuichi: Shakkahô!" (Red Flame Cannon)

A ball of red energy shot forwards at blinding speeds, engulfing a large section of the spear-like pieces of paper and incinerating them as if they weren't even there. Using his hand as leverage, Jiraiya spun around and spat a huge ball of oil at the woman, soaking her and her precious paper through.

Like a snake, Jiraiya's hair whipped out and wrapped around her as he cried, "Your paper can't unfold if it's soaked through!"

He gave her a look, "You always did love your origami. I remember you were one of the kindest out of all the kids. What happened to the other two? The rumors that they're all dead are lies, aren't they?"

She looked down but didn't respond. Jiraiya frowned, "I knew it. Pein was one of them too, wasn't he?"

"What do you hope to accomplish by revealing yourself to us again?" she asked stoically. "You've practically delivered the boy to us on a silver platter."

"Not what you think," Jiraiya said, "especially considering you're part of Akatsuki. I'd heard you were all dead. To think that this is what really happened…"

"Sensei?" Naruto asked quietly, looking unsurely at the older man.

"Just pay attention to the conversation," Jiraiya hissed back.

"You must be thinking, 'if only I had just listened to Orochimaru'. But you didn't. You chose to save us instead," Konan told him. "And now…we act to make his plans a reality."

"Then Pein," Jiraiya concluded somberly, "must be him."

He met her gaze steadily, "A few years after I left, I started hearing your names come up occasionally. Anytime there was trouble, whoever opposed your side would wind up dead."

"You have no idea what happened after you left," she spat angrily, the paper beginning to ruffle.

"You're absolutely right, I don't," Jiraiya admitted shamelessly. "But there's no doubt in my mind that what Akatsuki is doing is wrong!"

Konan opened her mouth to reply, but before she could get a word out, Naruto's sword went sailing through the air. It disappeared into an area between the pipes that surrounded them, followed shortly by a twin gasps. The woman fluttering above their heads donned a look of surprise, then vanished into nothingness as the paper that had constituted her fluttered to the ground.

From the area Naruto's sword had flown in, a petite figure stumbled forward past the pipes, her body covered in a cloak decorated with red clouds. She looked up at them, blue hair in disarray and her eyes widened in shock as blood slowly stained her hands, which were held up to her chest. Hyôrinmaru lay there, embedded through her heart. With a final step forward, she fell to the ground in a thud.

Quietly, Naruto retrieved his sword, flicking the blood off it before sheathing it. Jiraiya looked at him, just as shocked, "Naruto…you…"

"All of Akatsuki must die," Naruto whispered shakily as he met Jiraiya's eyes. He looked away, down at Konan's body, unsure. "_All_ of them…"

"So, you killed Konan," a voice called. The two of them looked up to see an orange-haired man with his long locks tied up in a ponytail, save for the strip that traveled down his right cheek, framing his eyes. Rage smoldered in his gaze, but his countenance was calm. "I suppose I have to kill you, then, too."

"You've changed, Nagato," Jiraiya said, frowning.

The orange haired man didn't give a verbal response, instead clapping his hands together and flying through hand seals. Naruto and Jiraiya tensed as a summoning array drew itself onto the wall of pipes behind him. A large, crab-like creature burst through it, sharp pincers aimed at the two ninja in its path.

"Nadegiri!" Naruto cried, slashing at the air twice. Two thin arcs of water leapt forward, one vertical, the other horizontal, and bisected the large beast twice. The pieces vanished in a puff of smoke.

"So you've perfected it," Jiraiya remarked, glancing at his partner. "Nadegiri, I mean." (Slaying Several with One Sword Sweep)

"I had to do something during my two weeks off," Naruto retorted, eyes glued on his enemy. "After all, Hinata-chan had obligations to her team and the village. She couldn't be with me the entire time, could she?"

Jiraiya smirked a little, but it dropped as he turned his attention back to their opponent, "Nagato…there are so many things I want to ask you. Where's Yahiko?"

"I do remember someone by that name," Pein said stoically. "He's been dead a long time."

"Nagato," Jiraiya marveled quietly, shocked and horrified by what that could mean. "What happened to you? You used to be so…"

"Nothing happened. This is just another fight," Pein said easily. "Too many people have died here. Their pain has helped me to grow."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto growled at him, eyes narrowed angrily.

"Even the most ignorant child will eventually grow up as they learn what true pain is," Pein responded. "It affects what they say, what they think…Eventually, they become real people."

"That's not true!" Naruto shouted. "People grow up by learning to care for others! Someone who knows only pain…can cause only pain!"

"Do you really think that abandoning the love for your friends is the right way to become an adult?" Jiraiya demanded of the orange-haired man, his face set in stone.

"The both of you…you're still just normal people," Pein said, a slight laugh in his voice. "But I, living in the center of an infinite universe of pain, have grown into something more."

"What?" Jiraiya asked slowly.

"That's right," Pein leered. "I've grown from a person…into a god. As a god, what I say, what I think, become the laws of a god. You two…you're still just people. I don't really expect either of you to fully comprehend what I'm saying."

"I can't believe you're the same child that I met so long ago," Jiraiya muttered.

"Things that I couldn't comprehend as a human are crystal clear now that I'm a god," Pein continued. "And, by the same token, I've noticed there are things I can do as a god that I could never even dream of doing as a human. To put it simply, I have evolved."

"This guy is…" Naruto murmured disbelievingly.

The white-haired ninja scowled, "What are you trying to accomplish?"

"I'm going to put an end to this pathetic world and its wars," Pein said arrogantly. "It will be an act of God."

"Then to what end are you chasing the tailed beasts?" Jiraiya asked.

"I suppose I can tell you, since both of you are going to die anyway," Pein replied, blue eyes frosty. "Using the tailed beasts, I will create a new forbidden technique. A technique that will eradicate an entire country in less than a second. It will be the ultimate technique, a weapon of unprecedented power and scale."

"How can you even think of something like that?" Naruto exploded, knuckles white. The air was steadily getting colder. "Violence of that kind could never stop wars!"

Pein turned his eyes over to Jiraiya, "When countries quarrel with one another, what is the quickest way to end the dispute, sensei?"

"Answer Naruto's question," Jiraiya stated firmly. "Stop dodging."

"I will give my ultimate weapon to the warring nations," Pein stated. "After all, people who have a weapon will inevitably use it."

"What are you trying to say?" the Toad Sage's eyes narrowed.

"Hundreds of millions of people would die in an instant," Pein declared, eyes gleaming victoriously, "and the survivors would be terrified. All the people…All the world…will learn what true pain is! My technique will breed fear and serve as a deterrent, and wars will quickly cease. One might say this world of ours is still growing and becoming more balanced.

"Pain will quicken the world's growth, as it did mine. Our world is still in infancy, but the hand of god has come to guide it down the path of maturity."

"You want to teach the world what pain is, to help it grow up faster," Jiraiya repeated, summarizing. "And you think that this is your responsibility?"

"I do," Pein answered. "I am a God of Peace, after all."

"If you are a God of Peace," Naruto stated slowly, his voice even but thick with emotion and his sword drawn. Waves of power swept away from his feet, a bluish aura glowing around his body, "then I will become a God of War!"

A flash of light blinded both Pein and Jiraiya, forcing them to shut there eyes. There was a soft rustle, then a gasp. As Jiraiya's vision came back, he looked up to see Naruto had moved across the room, his sword stabbed through the orange-haired man and wings of ice spread wide.

"Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru," Naruto whispered, eyes narrowed.

There was a crack, then a puff of smoke. Pein vanished, replaced by a thick log with a hole in it from the stab and a long crevice in it, reaching from the top and bottom of the sword impaling it. It split in half a second later, engulfed in a thick layer of pale, unbreakable ice.

"Over here," Pein called, standing atop a large, chameleon like creature.

"Is that another one of your summons?" Jiraiya asked.

"To me," Pein stated, "you're little more than an insignificant child whose growth has been stunted."

Jiraiya laughed, going through hand seals, "A kid telling me to grow up? That's rich!"

When the smoke cleared, Jiraiya stood atop a large toad carrying a shield and a club that looked vaguely like a tuning fork, "No time to waste with this guy, Gameken!"

He bit into his hand, using his fingers to wipe blood on his face and make the design beneath his eyes more elaborate. He looked up, suddenly serious, "I'm going to use Sage Mode."

"What?" Gamaken shrieked. "Are you…?"

"Yes," he replied, "I'm going to summon the Ni Dai Sennin. Stall him for a little while, yes?"

"Got it," Gamaken murmured.

Pein jumped on the lizard's tongue and was taken into the beast's mouth. An instant later, they vanished from view, invisible. Jiraiya looked around, "He's gone! And… so is Naruto? Damn. Since he's gone, we can only defend."

Gamaken's only response was to life his shield. Going through a few hand seals, Jiraiya jumped, slamming his feet against his summon's head. Instantly, a transparent barrier was erected and spread out, covering the area.

In response, it seemed, a seven-headed dog leap out of the wall high up, diving towards Jiraiya and Gamaken, both of who were too shocked to react immediately. They didn't have to, however, because a dragon of water appeared from nowhere and slammed into the beast, knocking it into the wall and freezing it in the gigantic hole it made there. It seemed unconscious, then vanished.

Creating a hole of their own, Gamaken and Jiraiya escaped into the city outside. Immediately, they were besieged by what looked to be a crow summon, which attacked them with its large beak. Gamaken swung his gigantic shield around, clocking the beast right in its jaw and sending it flying. It vanished in a puff.

A large, ox-like summon was pitted against them next, marred by several studs pierced through its head and body. Leaping forward at the beast, Jiraiya cried out, as he did hand seals, "Gamaken, go back! It's my turn!"

The beast rammed into him, throwing both the white-haired ninja and its own head into a wall and creating a large hole there. There was silence for a moment, then a loud, annoying voice called, "Brat! Why do you always summon us in places like this! No wonder he's always angry!"

"Ah, don't say that, Ma," a patronizing voice answered. "Little Jiraiya was forced to do this…"

"Pa, shut up!" the annoying voice called back.

"I apologize for meeting you here," Jiraiya's voice said, "eldest and big sister."

"But, brat," Ma asked, "didn't you say this would chase away girls? That's why you disliked it!"

"No choice but to dislike," Jiraiya said. "My opponent is the Rin'negan."

"Whoa," Ma's voice echoed, "Rikudô's eyes? I didn't know they still existed!"

"They do," Jiraiya said. "So, let's go."

A different looking — toad-like — Jiraiya stepped out of the hole in the wall. On each shoulder sat an old-looking toad, one male with sparse white hair, the other female, wearing what looked to be a shower cap. The male spoke up, "So, where is this guy, anyway? I don't see him."

"It's not your fault," Jiraiya said, a goatee formed on his chin. "He's hiding inside a summoned animal that can blend in with its surroundings. Naruto has performed a similar feat, it seems."

"Something like a chameleon, you mean?" Ma asked. She threw her webbed hands into a seal. "I'll find him in no time!"

"By the way, Jiraiya-chan," Pa asked, "I realize you need us because this guy's so tough, but why are you fighting him in the first place?"

"He's a former student of mine," Jiraiya said simply.

"I ain't heard nothing about no other student of yours!" Pa exclaimed, looking shocked.

"He's the destined child?" Ma concluded. "Then why are you fighting him?"

"He didn't grow up to be the man I hoped he would," Jiraiya summarized.

"Well, whatever the case, if he ain't turned out right, we have to kill him!" Pa said.

"Found him!" Ma cried, turning her head to the left. Her tongue shot out, wrapping around midair and revealing the chameleon. With what seemed to be ease, she lifted the large beast off of the ground and threw it back into the harsh earth. Pa spit out what seemed to be a beam of pure energy, slicing through the wall above the beast and sending it tumbling down onto the scaled creature. In a puff of smoke the lizard vanished.

"That's the Rin'negan, eh?" Ma asked. "There definitely the eyes described in the legends."

The orange-haired man stood stoically amongst the wreckage around him, staring calmly at the great Jiraiya. He could not sense the boy who had been with him, no doubt a display of the child's amazing prowess in the ninja arts and his own special abilities. Slowly, he raised his hands and made the correct seals, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

Two more orange-haired men, both wearing identical cloaks, appeared at the original's feet, kneeling. Jiraiya took notice, but merely reaffirmed his resolution, "You're the one who's going to destroy the world…and it's my duty as your teacher to stop you."

In a flash, the one with long, unbound hair leapt forward, attacking. As it came near, Jiraiya lashed out with a vicious kick and sent him back towards his fellows. He crashed into the ground, the earth beneath him cracking on impact. Smiling slightly, the original comment, "Very nice."

Jiraiya didn't have time to respond. A dragon leapt down from the pipes and engulfed the downed body in water, splashing all over the place. The two others leapt away to avoid being caught, landing a safe distance away. As the water froze into ice, a figure dropped down from above, plummeting like a rock.

Naruto landed with a loud crash, driving his sword through the heart of the frozen body with his crystalline wings spread wide and far. The ice cracked and split, crumbling into pieces beneath both the force of the landing and the pressure of new ice creeping outwards from the attack.

Spinning around as he stood, Naruto swiped his sword, unleashing three more dragons that clambered over one another like vicious wolves trying to best one another for the first bite. Even as the dragons bore down on the other two bodies, Naruto swept through more hand seals. As the remaining enemies ducked under his beasts, the splattering water began to take on a new form.

"Sensatsu Suisho!" Naruto cried, the creatures of water twisting into thousands of needles. At one, the tiny projectiles flew towards their targets, who dodged out of their path with ease. Still Naruto made seals, and the splashing needles reformed yet again. Several drill-like spikes of water lanced forth. "Suiton: Suiga no Jutsu!"

The original body managed to escape, but the rotund one wasn't quite so lucky. His left leg was sliced from his body, throwing him off balance. Naruto threw a kunai at the empty air, crying, "Sensei!"

Taking his cue, Jiraiya leapt up, grabbing the thrown weapon as he did, and threw it with all his might at the falling body. The sheer force behind the attack drove it straight through the man's skull, killing him instantly. He crashed against the ground with a dull thwack, motionless. Jiraiya landed seconds later, feeling satisfied.

Sensing an impending attack from behind, Jiraiya lashed out with a kick, sending the original body back into the wall, stunned. Naruto flew forwards, flashing through even more hand seals as he called back once more, "Sensei! I need some oil!"

Jiraiya and the two toads on his shoulders grinned, leaning back as their cheeks bulged and their chests puffed out. Naruto suddenly halted, behaving similarly as he brought the fingers of his free hand up to his lips. The three of them unleashed a torrent of oil, soaking the orange-haired man to the bone. Even as they continued, Naruto blew out a blazing ball of fire. Jiraiya recognized it as "Katon: Karyuu Endan".

Mercilessly, the original body was consumed. Jiraiya seriously doubted that the man could possibly have survived that, "God" or not. They had won. Against all odds, against a foe that seemed to get stronger and stronger each minute, they had managed to defeat him. But something was still bothering him. If Pein was Nagato, then what happened to the black-haired boy he remembered? He didn't see anyone that even looked remotely like that.

Still, they had won. To the burning corpse, he spoke, "I taught you a long time ago, Nagato, to never underestimate your opponents."

He turned and sighed, closing his eyes as the transformation of Sage Mode began to fade. Behind him, a voice whispered in his ear, "Didn't you just remind me not to underestimate my enemies, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya was a little unsure what happened. The moment the voice had whispered in his ear, he had spun around, a horrible dread settling in his stomach. He was sure he was going to die, but Naruto appeared in front of him as if from nowhere, wings and the shield on his arm raised defensively. Frighteningly enough, those had all but crumbled under the incredible might of the blow.

From there, it was pretty straightforward. The force behind the attack had been diminished enough by Naruto's defense that no serious damage was dealt by the initial impact, but it had still sent them crashing through the pipes and onto the lake on the other side. Jiraiya landed on the water, fine but a little shaken. Naruto landed as well, but his Bankai had vanished and he was panting. It was a mark, Jiraiya thought, of Pein's strength that Naruto had to use up so much energy to defend one attack.

Another thing Jiraiya noticed was the scroll tucked in the back of Naruto's pants, blood splattered along parts of the white. He was impressed, "You…"

"I managed to seal up the two that we killed," Naruto said between breaths. "I didn't think the charred one would be of any use."

"Good job," Jiraiya muttered.

He didn't get the chance to say anything else, as, standing in the hole their departure had made were four men. Two of them were new faces, though both had at least one piercing on their face and matching orange-hair, and one of them was the supposedly charred corpse they had killed a few moments before.

"Pein," he muttered, "what are you?"

"The name Pein is shared by all of us," the final one said, glaring.

"You," Jiraiya stuttered as he recognized the face and hair style, "you can't be…! Yahiko? But…he just said that you're dead! And…you can't have the Rin'negan!"

"You can still see Yahiko in me? How funny," the final man remarked. "I suppose only his teacher would be able to see what remains of Yahiko. But, make no mistake, he is dead. The man standing here now is Pein, no one else."

"Enough of your bullshit!" Jiraiya shouted. "Are you Nagato or Yahiko?"

"We are Pein," the man responded in a menacing tone as they all leapt from their perches. "We are GOD!"

One of them landed right in front of the blonde, hitting him hard enough to send him back several meters. Jiraiya grew concerned, turning to look for his pupil, "Naruto!"

The Peins used the opportunity this presented, taking Jiraiya by surprise as they converged on him. Before he could do anything, he found himself impaled on three long, black objects. The pain followed quickly, and then came the realization that he wouldn't survive this encounter.

"Sensei!" Naruto's voice called. With renewed strength, he struck the one that had hit him, knocking it back and stunning it for a moment. He came upon one of the bodies attacking the white-haired ninja, poised to strike. Jiraiya could see, from the corner of his eye, the last body, the one that Naruto had just hit, look up.

A second later, all three Peins moved away from Jiraiya, one turning around to block Naruto's attack. The other two flanked him, weapons positioned to stab. That's when Jiraiya realized it. The bodies could see from each other's point of view. That meant that, as long as one stood back and observed, all the others could see everything.

Sword still defending, Naruto leapt up over the strange black objects, lashing out with a kick to each of their faces. The both of them went flying, and they didn't look like they'd be getting up any time soon. With some fancy swordplay, the blonde sliced off the third one's hand, sending the weapon tumbling down to the water's depths. A punch took care of that one, temporarily.

As the final Pein came up behind him, Naruto seemed to be expecting it. He twisted his sword into a reverse grip and, with both hands holding tight, jerked it backwards, past the right side of his stomach. With a squelch, it became embedded in the chest of the Pein he and Jiraiya had charred earlier.

With all of his opponents, taken care of, Naruto rushed over to the white-haired man, crying, "Sensei!" over and over.

"Naruto," Jiraiya said somewhat weakly, "I'm not going to make it."

Alarmed, Naruto looked around, spotting a small strip of land far enough away to buy him a little bit of time. Grabbing a firm hold of his mentor, the both of them were teleported over to that spot with naught but the sound of a fluttering curtain to follow them. As the original laid the man back against a large lantern pole, two clones popped into existence and began chanting as they sat down.

Instantly, a large, rectangular barrier was erected, glowing a bright golden color and translucent enough that it could be seen into. Immediately following it, a second barrier of slightly larger size was made, completely transparent and covering the first. A flash of light reflected off of it, then both Naruto and Jiraiya seemed to disappear.

"I've set up Kyômon and Danku," Mirror Door and Splitting void, two of the most powerful barriers. Naruto pushed thoughts like that away. "I don't know how long they'll hold."

"Naruto," Jiraiya stated firmly. Ma and Pa were silent. "Pein can see from all of his different bodies' perspectives. What one sees, they all see. Secondly," — he coughed violently, red blood tainting his lips as his Sage Mode left him more and more — "the secret to the true Sage Mode, the secret to perfecting Ryûjin no Torai…is to separate yourself from the dragon within you."

"What?" Naruto asked, bewildered.

"You must draw on his power," Jiraiya elaborated, "but you must control it — harness it — instead of merely accepting it as it is. Only then can you truly advance to the level needed to defeat Pein. The real one, the real body behind Pein, isn't there, Naruto. Nagato…Nagato wasn't there. Tell that to Tsunade for me."

"Okay," Naruto said solemnly.

"And Naruto," Jiraiya wheezed. He seemed to be struggling to get the words out, "I've got…one last…last order…"

Naruto leaned forward, hanging onto every word. His eyes were beginning to water, but he didn't dare let the tears fall just yet. "Live…"

"I understand," Naruto whispered.

Jiraiya let out a sigh of relief, "I could…really…go for…one of those apples…"

With a final exhale, Jiraiya died, and all was quiet for a moment. Ma and Pa disappeared silently, but the soft puff the made didn't even faze the blonde teen sitting next to the body of the legendary Jiraiya. Finally, at length, he spoke, "My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow…"

He stood, hefting Jiraiya onto his shoulders, and whispered to the air, "No matter where the winds may blow…"

In a flash of yellow, they disappeared.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun hung low in the sky, casting an orange glow down upon the village. The last vestiges of daylight, of sunlight, flittered around the streets and atop the trees and buildings, casting shadows that danced across the ground and the walls. A soft wind blew through the alleyways, thousands of voices lost to its tender mercies.

Five great faces loomed out from a large mountainside, overlooking the village with stern gazes and hard, stony features that would make any Hyuga proud. A crack marred the third face, but it took nothing away from the harsh and protective countenance of the young third Hokage.

The streets were deserted, which was odd for the time of day that it was. Night had not yet set in, so several people should still be out. But an ominous air hung over the village, driving all who could feel it indoors and away from whatever could be the cause. It would make things easier on one person.

A blond appeared in the middle of the street, appeared so suddenly and so silently that you might have thought he'd popped out of the ground, walking solemnly towards the five great faces. An arm was slung over his shoulder, and his other shoulder and back were supporting the weight of a motionless white-haired man, whose head drooped and whose eyes were closed. Jiraiya of the Sannin hung limply over his student.

"_I remember, there was this great big apple tree up there," Jiraiya said, gesturing with his arms to give his student an idea about this tree's size. "Now, normally, that isn't all that strange a thing. But these apples were very weird."_

_He pulled one out of nowhere, holding it up for Naruto to see. It was apple shaped, it looked like an apple…but it was pure white instead of red or green. Jiraiya grinned, "This is an apple plucked from the largest apple tree planted atop the Hokage monument. That is the only place in the whole world where you can find white apples."_

And indeed it was. In all of the places the older man had taken Naruto and his entourage, none of them had ever been gifted with the strange Kyakko Whites. That had surprised Naruto greatly. What made Konoha and the Hokage monument so special that Kyakko Whites only grew there?

"_When I die," Jiraiya said suddenly, his tone serious, "I want to be buried at the base of that tree. I want to be able to look up at those apples, so round, so beautiful, so delicious, even in death."_

"_Where's this coming from all of the sudden?" Naruto asked uncomfortably, trying to lighten the mood back up. _

"_Plus, you'll probably bring your lady friend up there for a romantic evening of raunchy steaminess!" Jiraiya grinned perversely. Naruto snorted, throwing one of the special white apples at the man. It hit him and his head jerked back, but he righted himself a moment later to reveal that he had caught it in between his teeth._

_Shaking his head, Naruto laughed quietly, "What am I going to do with you?"_

"Naruto," a voice called softly. The blonde stopped walking, but didn't need to look behind him to know who it was. He didn't need to look behind him to see Tsunade standing there, trying her best to be strong and nonchalant and failing just barely. He didn't want to see it.

"It was Pein," Naruto said hoarsely. "Jiraiya said…He said to tell you, 'The real one isn't there'. He said to make sure that you knew…that you knew that Nagato's real body wasn't there."

"Real body?" Tsunade asked quietly.

Naruto pulled out the scroll with one hand and tossed it to her, saying, "That should answer your questions."

"Where are you going?" it wasn't a question, so much as it was a demand to know.

He was silent for a moment, then started walking again, "To bury him where he wanted to be buried when he died."

"And where's that?" came the follow up question.

Naruto looked up at the Hokage monument, at the sun setting just behind it, and answered her with more finality that he thought he could muster at that moment, with his voice as harsh and raw as it was from crying.

"Under the Apple Tree."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach (and Loveless comes from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII)**

**This chapter dedicated to Zack Fair, SOLDIER, First Class, who gave his life for his best friend. Yes, Zack, you became a hero.**

**Several things delayed the writing and release of this chapter, but, as I know I never do, I doubt any of you really want to know what those things are. As of right now, there will be approximately thirteen chapters to SUTFH, give or take one chapter. That leaves three more, one of which is the epilogue (which is more of a tool to transition into the sequel). **

**If all goes well, we should be done by early to late March, maybe April. **

_**Embrace your dreams…**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	18. Chapter XI: B Side

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens  
By: **James D. Fawkes

**Chapter Eleven: The Reigning Deity**

** — o.0.O.O.0.o — **

The cave was deep and dark, endless shadows flitting across the walls and hiding the seemingly unending ceiling above. Water dripped slowly from the various stalactites and down onto the stalagmites. The floor, obscured by boundless black, was barren of all life and of any sign of man.

Upon a statue of a grotesque figure, two people were perched. One, with spiky orange hair and glowing blue eyes, sat atop the head of the figure, one leg dangling and the other with its foot pressed up against the statue's skull. His arm rested loosely atop his bent knee while the other was on the cool stone, propping him up. His intense blue eyes, with thin black rings surrounding the pupils, stared seriously up at the ceiling.

The second person was also a man, but his features, his face, his eyes, his ears, his body in general, were practically invisible. They would, for all intents and purposes, remain unseen by the general public, and indeed, mostly in private. An orange mask with a spiral design engraved into it hid his face from view, the ominous black band covering his ears.

"Our plan is coming to fruition," the second man said, perched atop on of the statues fingers in much the same way his companion was. He didn't bother to look up to see if the other had heard him. He knew that he wasn't being ignored. "I have recently captured the other three tailed beasts. All that remain are the Eight Tails and the Nine Tails."

He looked over at the other man, his red eye gleaming maliciously in the dark, "It'll take a few days to seal them up again, but after that, we'll be ready to take care of the other two."

"The Nine Tails," the first man muttered to himself, "the Eight Tails."

"Yes," the second man confirmed flatly, "and you…you will be the one to capture and defeat the Kyubi's container."

"Namikaze Naruto," the first man said softly. His eyes narrowed as he glared up at the ceiling, his limp hand clenching into a fist. "We shall see…which of us is truly a god."

"Getting sentimental, Pein?" the second man asked almost teasingly. There was a hint of humor in his voice, a sick and twisted sort of humor that no man should ever have. It was decidedly fitting for the sinister and mysterious figure known alternately as Tobi and as Uchiha Madara, progenitor of the Uchiha Clan.

"Call it what you like," Pein replied dismissively, scoffing at the other's statement. "In the end, it seems that this was inevitable. After all, in order to accomplish true peace…the God of Peace must defeat the God of War. Isn't that right?"

Madara chuckled, "I think you're letting this whole 'God' thing go to your head, Pein."

Madara looked over at his companion again, his half-lidded red eye barely visible through the hole in his mask, "When the time comes, I will protect your real body for you while you send your Six Paths to capture the Nine Tails. You are still essential to my plans, so I can't have you dying on me just yet."

Pein finally turned towards him, arching a single orange eyebrow, "I'm still essential to your plans? I was under the impression that you didn't need me for anything but gathering the Nine Beasts, Madara. Perhaps _you_ are the one who is getting sentimental."

"Sentimental?" Madara laughed a sick, evil laugh. "You flatter yourself. The _only_ reason I need you is to seal the Nine Beasts up. Everything else…I could technically do by myself."

"So you say," Pein said airily, turning his gaze back to the ceiling, "but it's easy for you to make such claims when you have not fought that boy. Namikaze Naruto…I underestimated him, and I paid the price for it. Not only did I lose two of my Six Paths, but I…I also lost Konan."

"I see," Madara replied neutrally. He switched the subject. "Do you think Aizen will keep his end of the bargain?"

"Aizen Sousuke is a very shrewd man," Pein said after a moment's pause. "He could very well plan to betray us and take the Beasts for himself, to do with as he pleases…or he could be as honest as he claims to be and simply be interested in accomplishing the same goals that we seek. He has…lost someone to war, too."

"His wife," Madara clarified. He scoffed. "Love. Such a thing is fit only for fools. After all, if he hadn't loved her in the first place, he wouldn't have been so devastated when she died. I have to wonder, though, just how far he'll go to get her back. That _is_ what he wants the beasts for, isn't it?"

"Aizen is a very shrewd man," Pein repeated. "He has contributed much to our cause, including a great deal of funds and two of the Nine Beasts. However, I have very little faith that he will be satisfied simply by watching us reach our goals. Aizen will most certainly have something planned for the day when we have the last two."

"Aizen may be shrewd," Madara admitted, "but he has none of the raw power needed to back it up. Let him and his little pet try to take the Beasts from us. On that day, Aizen Sousuke will join his wife in eternal slumber."

"I don't think things are going to be that easy," Pein said firmly. "You're not giving Aizen enough credit. He managed to manipulate things enough to destroy any chance Otogakure had of mobilizing an army and get Namikaze Naruto to assault Orochimaru's stronghold in the middle of Hoshigakure, all so sneakily that only Jiraiya-sensei noticed something was amiss. No…we must beware of Aizen."

"I see," Madara muttered neutrally. "But…we haven't heard from him since Orochimaru was killed. For now, we must concentrate on the final two Tailed Beasts, the last of the Nine. Once we get the three we have now sealed up, your Six Paths will head to Konoha capture the Nine Tails. With Namikaze Naruto out of the picture, the most resistance we'd have to worry about would be very minor. The Eight Tails will seem trivial."

"Agreed," Pein intoned as he stood. With a winking blur, Madara vanished. "Namikaze Naruto…Konoha no Ryûjin…Bishamonten…Whatever name you take, I shall defeat you."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The room was shrouded in dark, illuminated only by the luminous numbers on the alarm clock across from the bed. The windows were shut tight, curtains of ominous black blocking out the daylight that should have been streaming in. In the silence of this room, the only sound that could be heard was the quiet sobbing of one man.

Clothes were strewn haphazardly all over the floor, casting the wooden floorboards below them into anonymity. Over the back of the chair was laid a white cotton coat with flames printed onto the bottom hem. The door to the closet was ajar, revealing row upon row of nearly identical clothing.

The bed sheets were messy and undone, tangled and balled up in most places, and the pillows were at random spots on the mattress instead of at the head. Even the pristine white of the bed and its furnishings could not cut through the inky gloom of the room, nor let in the moon shining brightly outside the window.

There was more than just one person in the room, however. One more people sat with him, watching helplessly as he mourned the loss of one of the most important people in his life. One hand stroked his hair as he cried into her lap, his tears soaking the black fabric of her pants, and the other rubbed circles against his back.

Hinata looked down at her beloved sadly as he continued to sob, her delicate, gentle fingers running through the strands of his blonde hair. Despite her best efforts, however, it seemed as if he couldn't be soothed by her touch. She felt helpless, knowing that nothing she could do would save him from this pain.

Looking up, Hinata allowed herself a single tear to mourn his sadness. Leaning forward slightly, Hinata started quietly, "Shizuka na kono yoru ni anata wo matteru no. Ano toki wasureta hohoemi wo tori ni kite. Are kara sukoshi dake jikan ga sugite, omoide ga yasashiku natta ne."

"Hoshi no," Hinata continued, "furu basho de anata ga waratte irukoto wo itsumo negatteta…ima tooku temo mata aeru yo ne."

"Itsu," Hinata whispered into his ear, "kara hohoemi wa konna ni hakanakute…hitotsu no machigaide kowarete shimau kara taisetsuna mono dake wo hikari ni kaete tooi sora koete yuku tsuyosade."

"Hoshi no furu basho de," she went on. "Omoi wo anata ni todoketai itsumo soba ni iru sono tsumetasa wo dakishimeru kara. Ima toukutemo, kitto aerune."

"Shizuka na yoru ni," she finished in a whisper.

Hinata could feel Naruto tighten his grip on her, heard him sniffle as his sobs began to subside. Smiling, Hinata hugged his head to her stomach as she whispered, "I'm always by your side, Naruto-kun."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Naruto admitted weakly, his blue eyes glassy.

"And you'll never have to find out," Hinata told him resolutely.

Sitting up, Naruto pulled her into a hug, sniffling lightly. Laughing a short chuckle, he said to her, "To the place where the stars fall…"

He tightened his grip around her waist, smiling a watery smile, "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess."

Leaning back, he and Hinata fell onto the mattress, his head resting on the last remaining pillow at the top and her head lying softly against his chest. He looked down at her, at Hinata's pearly lavender eyes.

"Last order, huh?" Naruto looked up at the dark ceiling, talking to the air. He took a deep breath in through his nose. "Live. I think I can do that."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The sun shined brightly, illuminating the pale blue sky and casting luminous glows over the puffy white clouds coasting lazily through the air. The trill of birds flitting through the wind lilted delicately over the land, singing a serenade of peace and joy to the world around them. Leaves swayed gently in the breeze, but would not be torn from their perches.

The ground was decorated with sparse patches of lively green grass, the tiny blades swaying in the swirling wind. The dirt and pebbles crunched and crackled as a single person stepped out onto them, his tanned feet clad in black sandals and unprotected from the elements. He wore much of the same color over the rest of his body, save for the white coat fit snugly over his shoulders and flowing down to the middle of his shins.

Naruto stopped a moment, his coat fluttering as he closed his eyes. Spreading his arms out slightly, he took a deep breath in through his nose, taking in the scent of nature. The air was crisp and cool, yet carried with it the warmth of summer. The breeze tousled his hair, the blond strands tickling his nose.

With a slight smile on his face, he exhaled slowly, his gloved fingers insensate to the wind. The smell of bright red roses mixed with the scent of lavender still clinging to his clothes, wafting upwards and into his face. A smile curled on his lips. Hinata.

Hinata was away with Team Eight — Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Yuuhi Kurenai — on a mission to more firmly establish connections with Nami no Kuni, the Land of Waves. Ishida Mitsunari was to go with them and return to his life as the royalty of that country. With a few years of training under Jiraiya at his command, Mitsunari would be much more able to defend his territory than anyone else of his line. Tsunade hoped that he would be able start a Hidden Village there.

That left him alone for another day, with nothing to do but try to do as Jiraiya had spoken in his last moments, to try to follow his last order. In order to follow Jiraiya's last request, though, he also had to perfect his Ryûjin no Torai, the Senjutsu that would ultimately allow him to defeat Pein and anyone else he had to face. After all, Tobi had to go, too.

That was where things became a little problematic. He had been alone to practice this art for nearly a week, and still he had had no true success in his endeavors. He had tried, over and over, to tame the power that Hyôrinmaru let him borrow, but he could not control it, could not force it to do his bidding instead of taking him over.

"_The secret to the true Sage Mode, the secret to perfecting Ryûjin no Torai…is to separate yourself from the dragon within you."_

Naruto let out a sigh, eyes downcast, "Easier said than done, you lecherous old man."

And that was true. Perfecting Ryûjin no Torai was a _lot_ easier said than it was done, despite Jiraiya's confidence in him. Despite their joint efforts, and their efforts were indeed formidable when joined, neither he nor Hyôrinmaru had found a way to separate the power from the dragon's consciousness. It seemed veritably impossible.

"_You must draw on his power, but you must control it — harness it — instead of merely accepting it as it is. Only then can you truly advance to the level needed to defeat Pein."_

"Okay," Naruto sighed, unsheathing his sword, "here we go."

Slowly, he moved his left hand up and began the seals, but he was interrupted before he could finish. A flash of light reflected off of his sword, reflecting into his eyes. With a groan, he shut his eyes tight and turned his head to the side, moving his sword out of the light's path. Glaring at the shiny metal, he felt a well of frustration bubble up inside of him.

Then, inspiration struck. He needed something to focus on to keep the dragon's conscience from merging with his. Once he had managed it the first time, then he wouldn't need it again, which solved the problem of concentrating on it in battle. It seemed so obvious, now that he had thought of it. Quickly, eagerly, he shed his gloves and stuffed them into his kunai pouch.

Suppressing a wince, he ran his index finger down the length of his sword, cutting a small slice into the skin. Bringing it up so he could see it, a bulging drop of blood about the size of a small pebble quivered atop the skin. With a slight smirk, he brought his finger down onto the flat side of the blade and began to draw the symbols.

When he finished, he looked proudly at the Hiraishin Jutsu-shiki slowly drying on the polished steel. Licking the rest of the blood off his finger, he keep his eyes on the characters hastily scrawled over his sword and started the hand seals. As he neared the final one, he could feel the technique begin to take effect and quickly concentrated on centering Hyôrinmaru's consciousness into that small formula.

There was a slight struggle as he finished the hand seals, as though the jutsu was fighting to take control of him, but he was much more stubborn than it could ever be. With a final violent push, the pressure that had been building in his skull vanished and he could feel the changes come over him.

Bones popped and muscles snapped, becoming stronger and much denser. His vision blurred, then was suddenly a lot sharper than it had ever been. His hair lengthened, his bangs parting to the sides as they grew down to his chin. The rest flowed backwards, surging down his back and reaching nearly to his thighs.

He lifted a hand, studying the new shape of his fingers and the tipped fingernails that could now pass for claws. The wind blew, sending several strands of his now silver hair into his eyes for a moment. A second later, it died down and his hair moved back into place of its own will.

"So," he mused aloud, his voice smooth and deeper than he had known it could be, "this is the true power of Ryûjin no Torai."

He breathed in, and the universe was at his beck and call. A smirk curled on his lips, cyan blue-green eyes dancing with excitement, "Let's try them then, shall we? These spells, the ones that I have had such difficulty with before…Let's see if they're any easier in this form."

Holding out a hand, he pointed his palm towards a collection of trees that led out into Fire Country and away from Konoha. Slowly, he floated upwards, his arm changing angle every few seconds to keep the point of impact the same. Finally, when he had reached a height where he could see the true damage of his attack, he said, "Hadô no Hachijuuhachi: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho." (Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon)

A blinding flash of spirit energy leapt from his hand, lashing out faster than the human eye could track. There was an explosion, so bright that Naruto couldn't properly see what he had hit, then a loud and quick boom. An instant later, the blast was gone, and all that remained was a wide, smoking crater.

A small smirk curled on his lips as he examined his unblemished hand. This was the power he needed to defeat Pein. There was no doubt about it.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The day was clear and bright, the yellow-gold sun hanging high in the sky and illuminating all of creation. The temperature was warm, but not hot, and was perfect for a day outside training or playing a game of tag. The wind blew, but gently, caressing the faces of all who stood in its way with a brisk, relaxed cool.

On this day, six figures stood out in a crowd, their bodies shaped in various ways and even, in some cases, female (or had, at one point, been). Hiding any distinguishing sexual features was a cloak that each of them wore, black with red clouds painted here and there. All of them had vibrant orange hair.

The sprawling village of Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village, lay out in front of them. Six figures stood motionlessly, the lead figure staring at the landscape in front of him with glowing blue eyes. The other five waited patiently for him to comment, or to move, so that they might follow his example.

"We're going to split up," the first man said suddenly. The other five paths straightened slightly at this, paying close attention. "One group will do diversion and the other will do reconnaissance, so let's make sure we've got this sorted out."

All five pairs of eyes were immediately latched on to him, waiting patiently for him to elaborate. After a moment of pause, he did so, "Demon Realm, Animal Realm, and Hungry Ghost Realm will deal with the diversion. God Realm, Human Realm, and Hell Realm will do recon. Once Namikaze Naruto is encountered, the others are to report to his position immediately. Animal Realm, however, will stay behind and watch from a safe distance."

Getting five identical nods, he stepped forward and his eyes widened, glowing blue. What he could see, he relayed to his team, "There's a spherical barrier protecting the village from all sides, including above. Any intruders will be detected immediately. As planned, we're going to launch Animal Realm above the village. This will make for an easier insertion. From there, we wait for Animal Realm's summons."

Two of the remaining five figures moved, the bulkiest one kneeling down as a man with his long orange hair tied in a ponytail climbed up on his arm. An instant later, that man was sent soaring upwards, his hands flying through seals as the air around him rushed past his ears. As he landed agilely on his hands and knees, the five other Paths appeared in one puff of smoke.

"Scatter," God Realm commanded. In a blur, all of them had disappeared.

God Realm's blue eyes were sharp and narrowed as he ran through the streets, extending his senses as far as they could possibly go. People gasped and screamed as he passed, terrified of him and his power. He felt a slight thrill of satisfaction shoot through him; they had every right to fear for themselves, their lives, and their families. If he had his way, this entire village would cease to exist.

A slight whistling noise and a tiny prick on the edge of his senses warned him before his eyes did, and he leapt upwards and over the kunai that had been thrown at him. Dully, in a corner of his mind, he could sense that the other five Paths had encountered a similar situation themselves.

Back tracking, he kneeled down and looked at the kunai, attached to which was a small paper note. Written on this small piece of white paper was a single word, a single term that nearly forced a tiny smile on his lips. Written, in clear, bold script, on the small piece of paper was the word, "Come".

He reached down, already aware of the kunai's purpose. There was a strange sensation, almost like a tug behind his navel, and he was suddenly somewhere else, standing, bent over, on a field of grass with the kunai in his hand. Letting it drop, he stood up straight and noticed the other five Paths do similarly, each one having had a kunai with a small piece of paper on it.

God Realm turned around as Animal Realm disappeared, locking gazes with the fierce blue eyes of Namikaze Naruto. Calmly, he spoke, "You were expecting us."

"Oh?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "You're much smarter than I gave you credit for. Then again, it doesn't take a _god_" — he emphasized the word sarcastically — "to figure out that I was expecting you. After all, _you_ want the Nine Tailed Fox sealed inside of me, and _I_ want you dead for all of the things you've done."

"A bold claim," God Realm said stoically. "But, then again, you already know the truth don't you?"

"The real one isn't there," Naruto recited calmly. "Sensei told me all about that before he succumbed to his wounds. So tell me, Nagato, why have your last Path stay back when you won't truly die until I kill your real body?"

"You are clever," God Realm praised. "The answer is quite simple, really. If all six of my Paths of Pein should be defeated, you would have no way of finding the real me, which would make a 'final battle' rather difficult to achieve. So Animal Path is left behind and will summon a sort of 'messenger bird' for you to follow on the off chance you defeat the other five."

"I see," Naruto nodded. "I suppose, then, that Tobi is waiting to engage me wherever it is that this bird of yours would lead me to?"

"You _are_ clever," God Realm hid his surprise quickly. "But…cleverness only gets you so far in battle. You need the power to back it up."

Instantly, Asura path, the one that had shattered Naruto's wings of ice and nearly caused a great deal of damage to Jiraiya, leapt forward, fist lashing out at the blonde teen's face. Smoothly, Naruto ducked under the punch and sliced through the overextended arm from knuckle all the way up to his shoulder. Then, in what seemed to be a speed ten times faster, he brought his sword across the other man's waist and split him in half from crown to crotch, all with two simple slashes.

"You've gotten stronger," God Realm remarked, standing motionlessly.

That seemed to be the cue for Human Realm to attack, holding on to the strange black object they had been prone to using before. His arm came around in a diagonal swing, but Naruto met him easily, the pristine steel of Hyôrinmaru effortlessly holding up against the mysterious black material.

Leaping backwards, Naruto unleashed a dragon of icy water, its red eyes gleaming as it soared forwards, screaming through the space separating him and his enemy. Human Realm jumped up and over it, his efforts sending him far enough to reach his opponent. Aided by both his amazingly monstrous strength and by the insistent pull of gravity, he brought his weapon down.

Naruto deflected it to the side, which seemed to set off a chain reaction. The moment the long-haired man had been repelled, a torrent of water was sent spiraling in his direction. Bring his sword around, the edge of the blade glowing blue, he swung downwards as the ball of water came his way.

"Nadegiri!" he cried, the blue arc slicing the attack in half and continuing onwards towards God Realm, who had sent the Daibakufu at him.

God Realm seemed unfazed by the return attack, merely holding up one of his hands as if he were catching a ball. The Nadegiri arc stopped short, then a ripple seemed to move outwards, destroying it in a burst of liquid. His hand fell back to his side as if nothing had ever happened at all.

As if he could see out of the back of his head, Naruto performed a back flip over Human Realm as the long-haired man attempted to stab him, going through hand seals in midair. Stopping, he took a deep breath and blew out a large fireball, aimed at the man who had tried to get him from behind.

His efforts were in vain, however, as the singular female Path leapt in front of it and held out her hands. There was a pause, as if the universe were waiting for something to happen, and then the fireball sputtered weakly before it winked out of existence. The orange haired woman looked up at Naruto stoically, her blue eyes gleaming dully.

As he landed, however, Naruto was unprepared for the harsh shoulder that struck him from the side and sent him flying, tumbling over the ground. In mid-roll, he flung himself back up and stumbled into a standing position. He was breathing hard, panting as he gingerly rubbed his right side. He let out a groan, but knew that he would be okay. It wasn't anything truly serious.

Human Realm was upon him again, lashing out with slash after vicious slash as Naruto struggled to keep up, distracted, as he was, by the pain in his side. Reaching out with his hand, Human Realm pushed Naruto back, who was too surprised by the move to do anything to defend against it.

Leaping up into the air, Naruto slashed down at Human Realm, intent on cleaving the man in two. Almost effortlessly, it seemed, the orange-haired man held his weapon with one hand and blocked it. With a jerk of his arm, he sent the blonde flying backwards into the tree line, not bothering to follow him into it.

There was a pause, during which God Realm's eyes narrowed suspiciously, before a cry of "Bankai!" resounded throughout the area. In reaction to that call, it seemed, the sky darkened with black rain clouds and three water dragons, each sporting a pair of feathery-looking wings, flew out from the foliage, mouths agape and showing off long, sharp fangs. Any tree they so much as brushed was instantly frozen solid.

Human Realm leapt over the first dragon as it crashed into the ground, staring the second dragon in the face as it prepared to consume him, but God Realm raised his hand and his comrade was propelled upwards and out of the way. The third dragon rose up and broke apart as, from its mouth, came the winged form of Naruto, a long tail following behind him.

The instant the two weapons came into contact — the strange black object that Human Realm was holding and Hyôrinmaru — the black metal became cold and engulfed in ice. Surprised, Human Realm could not react fast enough to block the second slash that cut straight through his only defense and cleaved off his right arm at the shoulder, sending the amputated limb spiraling down to the earth below.

Human Realm landed in a sort of crouch, gazing impassively up at the floating Naruto, whose strange powers kept him airborne. There was a tense moment of pause, as if the two enemies were sizing each other up, then Naruto exploded into action, sending three more dragons down at Hell Realm, who had smashed into him with his shoulder.

Hell Realm leapt backwards from the first dragon, then turned around the second he landed and headed towards the trees, where he intended to lead the beasts into the wood. He hadn't moved more than a meter or two, however, before Naruto appeared in front of him and unleashed another trio of the deadly creatures. Stunned, Hell Realm could do nothing to avoid them.

God Realm, however, raised his hand once more and pointed it at Hell Realm. Just as the dragons were about to consume him, he was jerked out of the way and landed on his butt in front of God Realm, who looked down at him impassively. Naruto glared at them, his blue eyes gleaming dangerously.

The blonde stabbed his sword into the ground, and from the soil in front of him sprouted thick, jagged pillars of ice. With a sideways sweeping motion of his free hand, the pillars disintegrated into a fine mist, the watery particles glistening in the limited light. As if he were throwing something, his hand shot out, and with it, the mist darted forward like tiny projectiles.

"Kongou Hokori!" he called out. (Diamond Dust)

God Realm raised his hand, and, with a look of concentration on his face, the mist was banished back at its creator. Naruto's eyes widened, but his body reacted almost on reflex and his left hand reached down into his kunai pouch. It pulled out a tri-pronged kunai, at which point Naruto seemed to have overcome his surprise. Looking up, he flung the kunai into the sky as fast and hard as he could. Just as the diamond hard mist was about to hit him, he disappeared in a flash of yellow.

As one, all of the remaining Paths looked upwards, towards the blonde hovering in midair. With an angry snarl and a single swing, three more dragons were released. Instead of making a straight path for the enemy, though, they curled around, spinning in a circle and surrounding their targets. In the sky, the blonde teen was making hand seals with his left hand.

"Sensatsu Suisho," he started in a whisper as he hit the last seal, "Daikeimusho!"

Instantly, the trio of winding dragons shattered and reformed into thousands of tiny needles. God Realm studied the prison of icy prongs stoically, his head zipping back and forth as the needles quivered threateningly, then jerked forward at some unheard signal. As they converged on him, he flung his hands out and was consumed by the horde.

A second later, however, the gigantic prison of ice shook, and then dispersed back into water, revealing a panting God Realm and an unscathed Hell Realm. Standing straight, but still out of breath, God Realm began hand seals as the moisture in the ground churned and morphed to his will. At the last seal, a giant dragon of water, with gleaming yellow eyes, formed, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu."

Calmly, as the beast of water rushed towards him, Naruto held out a single hand, palm pointed forward. In an even voice, he recited, "Hadô no Ichi: Shô." (Thrust)

As it bore down on him, the Suiryuudan was ripped apart with what seemed to be little to no effort at all. Moving the angle of his arm, he aimed his palm at God Realm and Hell Realm, his blue eyes glaring down at them. With the same calmness as before, he stated the name of his next technique, "Hadô no Rokujuusan: Sôren Sôkatsui." (Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down)

Two balls of blue fire shot forth, growing steadily in size as they came screaming down toward God Realm and Hell Realm. Hungry Ghost Realm appeared in front of the blasts, holding her hands out in front of her as the two spheres came steadily closer. Her face screwed up in concentration, she let the energy balls touch her palms. Her expression quickly morphed into surprise as the attack met no resistance and still came toward her. She was engulfed in a fiery explosion, and, when it subsided, not even a shred remained.

Looking up at Naruto, God Realm's eyes flashed with a blazing rage. Holding up a single hand, his mouth set in a frown, he pulled. Surprised, Naruto was jerked out of the sky and towards the ground. Hell Realm's fist awaited him, sending him flying in the opposite direction and into a vicious kick from Human Realm. His wings shattered and the icy gauntlet on his right arm cracked.

Helpless, Naruto could only gasp and grasp weakly at his enemy's arm as he was easily picked up by his neck with Human Realm's remaining hand. Glaring at him, Human Realm's lips twisted into a characteristic smirk as he suddenly spun around on his heel and threw Naruto into one of the trees that had provided such good cover earlier.

Crying out as the bark bit into his back, Naruto panted as God Realm turned to him, a superior look on his face. Glaring back at them, Naruto slowly stood as the ice on his arm shattered and fell to the ground. With a bit of difficulty, he stood straight and began his hand seals, "It seems that this was necessary after all."

At the last seal, his body shuddered and shifted as he spoke the name of this new skill, "Ryûjin: Reigen Indo." (Dragon God: Heartless Requiem)

With vicious snaps and cracks, bones moved and became denser; muscles became stronger, leaner, more agile, and raw strength was multiplied. Blonde hair became silver, lengthening down the teen's back and reaching nearly to his thighs. Yellowish gold bangs shifted to a delicate pale, shimmering gray and parted down the center to frame a more angular face, reaching down to his chin. Cat-like cyan eyes snapped open, slit pupils staring intensely at the world.

"Behold," he spoke, in a smoother, deeper voice, one that spoke of power, "the true might of the Dragon God. One hundred percent."

As he said this, he swiped his sword to the side and it seemed to grow, lengthening to nearly half again what it had been. Looking up at them through a curtain of silver hair, a small smirk curled on his lips, "Ready?"

He seemed to dissolve into tiny particles of water, a black mist, then reappeared in front of Human Realm, sword already in motion. The long blade cut through the orange-haired man like butter, from one hip to the other. Time seemed to slow as the pieces of the man moved in separate directions, a look of surprise on his face. Then it was over, and Naruto sliced diagonally through the upper half of his enemy's remains, from right shoulder to what remained of the left side of his stomach.

"Three down," Naruto said tauntingly.

In a blur, he had vanished again and Hell Realm held up his own black rod, blocking against the steel of Hyôrinmaru. Leering slightly, Naruto leaned forward, "You think this can stop me?"

As if on cue, the black rod was cut in half at the middle, its wielder following it soon afterwards. Hell Realm was split diagonally, much the same way his predecessor, Human Realm, had been. His two halves fell to the ground in opposite directions, leaving God Realm and Animal Realm as the last two of the Six Paths.

"And thus ends," Naruto spoke, "the great Pein."

He flung several kunai, watching as God Realm held out a hand and banished them in the opposite direction. Appearing in front of the final fighter, Naruto lopped off his right hand, then spun around and, using his momentum, sliced right through God Realm. With a look of surprise on his face, God Realm fell to the ground, cut in half.

"I see," Animal Path said as Naruto turned to look at it. Flashing through hand seals, he summoned a small sparrow, which fluttered and then took off. "Follow this bird and he shall lead you to the real body."

With a small smirk, Naruto sent a Nadegiri arc at Animal Path. The last remaining Path seemed to accept his fate and was beheaded swiftly. As the final Path fell to the ground, Naruto turned his gaze to the small sparrow with a long red ribbon attached to its leg and took off after it.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

The place the sparrow led him to seemed fitting for the leader of Akatsuki: it was dark and bleak, a cave that was familiar but still foreign. The forest ended abruptly several meters away, and the sparrow fluttered towards the dark entrance. A kunai struck it before it could, however, and Naruto looked down at the man who had thrown it, his silvery hair swaying in the wind.

"So we meet at last," Tobi said calmly, staring at him from behind his orange mask. "Namikaze Naruto. The Dragon God. The God Slayer."

"God Slayer?" Naruto asked amusedly. "That's a new one."

"It's only fitting," Tobi shot back. "After all, once the people of the former Hidden Rain Village, Amegakure, find out that _you_ killed Pein, that's what they'll start to call you."

Naruto laughed, "I suppose so."

He seemed to move at light speed, appearing behind Tobi and slicing straight through the black-clad man's body, "But I'll settle for killing you."

"Ahhh!" Tobi cried, as if in pain. It quickly turned into a laugh as Naruto's face twisted in confusion. "I'm afraid it'll take a lot more than just that to defeat me, Namikaze Naruto."

Frowning, Naruto lashed out with another slash, this one horizontal, which went right through Tobi's body, but it was as if there wasn't anything there. Tobi laughed, walking steadily backwards as Naruto's attacks brought him slowly forward. Each time the blade passed through the masked man's body, it was like swinging at air.

Hopping backwards, Naruto flung his hand out, index finger pointing at his enemy, and said, "Hadô no Kyuujuu: Kurohitsugi." (Black Coffin)

A black box formed in midair and fell on top of Tobi, encasing him in a strange, inky energy. At once, spear-like prongs of energy formed at various points on the outside of the box, then, a second later, stabbed forward into the black. There was no scream or cry of pain, not even the slightest trace of blood.

"My," Tobi commented from behind him, leaning against a tree, "that looks painful."

"It would have been," Naruto said neutrally. He turned to face the masked man. "So, Itachi was right about you…Madara."

"Ooh," Tobi clapped his hands sarcastically, "so, you know. You're _much_ smarter than I expected you to be."

"And you're much stronger than I expected _you_ to be," Naruto retorted. He smirked suddenly, and turned around, saying, "Catch me if you can," before he vanished into the trees. A second later, Madara leapt forward and followed him into the thick undergrowth, red Sharingan eye glaring.

The chase lasted an unexpected length of time, something that frustrated Madara. No matter how easily he could see the path that Naruto was going to take, the silver-haired menace was always one step ahead of him. If the Uchiha progenitor didn't know any better, he might suspect that his foe had a Sharingan as well, or some ability of a similar nature.

Finally, they reached a clearing. Naruto landed in the middle of it and spun around as he leapt backwards towards the other side. He unleashed two kunai as Madara landed in the same spot he had just vacated, but the two metal blades passed right through the man, who stopped and looked up as his prey found a perch on one of the trees.

"Did you really think you could catch me off guard?" Madara laughed as Naruto stared at him. The silver haired shinobi merely raised his hand into a single hand seal. "If it didn't work before, what made you think it would work this time? Perhaps you're not as smart as I — Ugh!"

"Perhaps you're a bit dumber than _I_ thought," Naruto smirked, his hand slowly returning to its place at his side. "I'd tell you to look at the seals attached to those kunai, but the only thing you can do now is breathe."

Madara struggled to move, but his body wouldn't obey him. He stood stock still, his arms refusing his commands and his legs frozen in position. He breathed and his heart was beating, but anything beyond the essentials was lost to him, and he was angry because he couldn't understand why.

"Those kunai," Naruto started smugly, "are very special. They're something Jiraiya cooked up when Itachi told us about you. Since we didn't know the true extent behind your power, he figured that he couldn't take any chances. Anyone of Uchiha blood standing within two meters of those kunai — when they're activated, of course — will lose all higher motor function and be frozen in their last pose. You can't even use chakra."

Still smirking, Naruto slowly lifted a hand into the sky, "I've never tried this before outside of Shikai, so I don't know if it'll work, but we'll see."

The dark clouds suddenly parted, revealing a large hole. From it, white light shone down, fluttering at the edges. Then, bits of it started to fall, and Madara realized that it wasn't light at all, but brilliantly pure snow. It all seemed to fall in slow motion, making a beeline for him with unmistakably lethal intentions.

"Behold," Naruto said, "Hyouten Hyakkasou." (Frozen Heavens Hundred Flower Funeral)

A single snowflake landed on Madara's hand and bloomed into an icy flower, followed quickly by another and another. Madara wanted to scream, but he could not move his mouth and could not force it past his vocal cords. He barely noticed when Naruto started to speak again.

"With this technique, snow falls to the ground," Naruto explained. "When the snow touches someone, however, it blooms into flowers, and for every snowflake that lands on that person, another flower will bloom. You cannot avoid it any more than you can dodge raindrops. And, when the last flower, the one-hundredth, blooms, that person's life ends."

Madara attempted to scream, but, at that moment, the final flower bloomed and, with a flash of light, Madara died. All that remained was his frozen body and a mountain of icy flowers. And so ended one of the most powerful shinobi since the Rikudo Sennin.

In what seemed to be a shroud of wispy black feathers, Naruto's long silver hair and other changed features faded away, leaving behind the spiky blond hair and the bright, sky-blue eyes. Hyôrinmaru shortened back into a katana, but, engraved into one side of the blade, was the word, "Salvation", and, on the other side, "Destruction".

Naruto did not spare the mountain another look and focused instead on the giant cave a few meters off, standing with a large, gaping mouth for an opening. As he walked past the rocky threshold, a pair of bright blue eyes opened up inside the darkness. As if spurned on by his presence, several flames flared to life, igniting around him in small canisters. Torches; each one crudely done and stabbed into the wall, sometimes lopsidedly, other times, miraculously, straight.

Placed in the exact center of the floor was a monstrous structure, sprouting up from the ground and towards the fathomless ceiling. It had nine eyes, only seven of which were open, and two arms that reached up from the dirt. Its mouth was open wide and gaping, showing off several fang-like teeth made from what looked like hard clay.

As light flooded the cave, the owner of the eyes was identified. He was hunched over inside a monstrous machine, emaciated until he was but skin and bones, shirtless. From his back protruded an innumerable amount of black rods. His blue eyes were familiar, with several thin black rings surrounding the pupil in a sea of azure. His red hair reached his shoulders, the bangs parted above his left eye and obscuring most of his right. He looked, Naruto thought, much as Jiraiya had described him, though weaker.

"You, you're Nagato?" Naruto asked in a whisper. His hand clenched into fists. "You're the one…who's caused so much pain? Who-who killed Jiraiya-sensei?"

"I am," Nagato rasped. "And this is the price I paid for my dream. Do you pity me?"

"Yes," Naruto answered honestly. "But I…I hate you, too. All the people who have died for your dream, your impossible dream…they didn't have to. They died because of you!"

"Peace is not impossible," Nagato said hoarsely. "And is it not a worthy dream? A peaceful world, where people like us do not have to exist, where war is a figment of the imagination…is that not a worthy dream?"

"But your methods weren't!" Naruto shouted. "A forced peace is no peace at all! A peace brought by fear isn't right, it wouldn't last! Peace…True peace can only be brought by understanding each other, by talking and by compromise. Any other kind of peace isn't worth it."

"I did what I must," Nagato said solemnly, "just as you will do as you must and end my life." There was a pause, then the man smiled an odd sort of smile, reminiscent and fond. "You are indeed Jiraiya-sensei's student. I could never bring myself to believe in what he said, not after Yahiko died. But now…I'll believe in you. I'll have faith that you can accomplish my dream."

Naruto stepped forward and lifted his sword, "Then, this is the end. This is…where you die."

Nagato gave a raspy chuckle, "I died long ago, first with Yahiko, then with Konan and Jiraiya-sensei. Do not pity the dead, Namikaze Naruto. Pity the living, pity those who live without love." Nagato lifted his head and looked Naruto in the eye. "Above all, pity those who have no dreams."

Naruto steeled himself, then lunged forward and stabbed Nagato through the heart, who gave a final sigh and sagged with what appeared to be relief into death. Naruto pulled away and flicked the blood from his blade, then relaxed.

"It's over," he sighed, tilting his head back as he closed his eyes in relief. "It's finally over."

The sound of a man clapping drove his attention back down to earth, his eyes seeking out the origin of the disturbance. They locked onto an average looking man with short, wavy brown hair wearing a pair of square-framed glasses. He had a disarming smile on his face, but Naruto had seen enough dishonesty to know that the smile was as fake as plastic. The strange thing, though, one that sent a feeling of dread through the blonde, was that the smile was also quite real. He was sincerely satisfied by something, but what?

"Well done," the man said in a calm, friendly voice. "Indeed, you did a very good job, Namikaze Naruto-san. That was a most impressive display of skill. I can see now why they call you the Dragon God of Konoha."

"Who are you?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

The man, who was wearing an expensive, ornate kimono, hakama, and haori set, merely smiled. In that same voice, that same nonchalant, friendly tone, as if they had been on good terms for _ages_, he said, "Oh, I doubt you've heard of me. Our countries don't get along very well, you see, so I'm afraid we've never met before. Still, I imagine we would have been very good friends."

"_Who_ are _you_?" Naruto asked a little more forcefully, his blue eyes glaring.

"Oh, I apologize," the man said politely, still in that same tone of voice. He didn't seem at all threatened by the one who had just beaten one of the strongest shinobi since Hanzou the Salamander and killed the man Amegakure called 'God'. "I didn't introduce myself, did I? How very rude of me. My name is Aizen Sousuke, though most people seem to like to call me 'Aizen-sama'. It gets on the nerves after a while."

Aizen…Aizen…where had he heard that name before? This guy, though…he wasn't a ninja, Naruto could tell. He didn't have the feel of a ninja about him, and his hands, from what Naruto could see, were too soft to belong to a ninja. And yet…this…Aizen wasn't afraid of him, wasn't afraid that his life could be ended in an instant. It was chilling.

"I really must thank you," Aizen went on, still smiling that damnable smile. "If it hadn't been for you taking care of these guys, I might have had to take care of them myself, and that would have been problematic. You see, because of you, because you killed Orochimaru for me and took out the army outpost Hidden Sound was using to build up its forces…"

The smile turned almost sinister, "…there's no one in my way."

That's when it came to him. He suddenly remembered where he heard the name 'Aizen Sousuke'.

"_Was this all the work of Aizen Sousuke?"_

_A smile actually curled on Shigi's lips as he dragged himself into a kneeling position, "So sharp, as always, Jiraiya-sama. Yet…so naïve…"_

"You…" Naruto whispered, shocked. "You're…!"

He didn't get to finish, as a fireball crashed into him and flung him several meters, where he came to a stop on the floor. In the flickering light of the torches, he could see a familiar clothing style: a fishnet mesh undershirt, and a long, open coat that went down to his knees. Typical shinobi pants and sandals, black.

But the face and hair were different, and he was wearing black gloves. The eyes were an eerily familiar cyan color with slits for pupils, and the skin had gone to a porcelain pale. The bangs were parted at the center, chin-length and framing his face. The rest of his hair surged down his back and nearly to his thighs. It was silver.

"Shigi?" Naruto asked, shocked.

"Oh, yes," Aizen said suddenly, looking as if he'd just remembered something. "I suppose you _have_ met my subordinate before, haven't you? I imagine he looks quite a bit different than you remember. That's another thing I have you to thank for, you know, and it wouldn't have been possible if you hadn't killed Orochimaru and left that strand of beautiful silver hair behind when you took out Deidara."

"What?" Naruto's head whipped around.

"Oh, yes," Aizen smiled. "With Orochimaru gone, it was child's play to take his genetic splicing technology. And the hair sample you left behind provided me with enough genetic material to properly perform the procedure to endow Shigi with your god-like powers."

Turning around, Aizen said airily, "Do with him what you like, Shigi. I have to figure out how to use this wonderful statue."

That seemed to be all the incentive Shigi needed, as he surged forward, slashing at the blonde with his ninjato. Naruto just barely blocked it, stumbling to his feet. Relentlessly, Shigi attacked, and each time, Naruto just barely evaded death and serious injury. Oddly enough, beyond that initial fireball, Shigi hadn't used anything but his sword.

"This is your power, Ryûjin," Shigi said calmly. "I will defeat you with it and claim it as my own."

"You're," grunt, "insane!" Naruto called, arms shaking with the effort of defending against his enemy's blows. It seemed hopeless. Naruto had used all of his power to defeat Nagato and Madara. There was nothing he could do that could hope to match Shigi at the level he was at, and he was quickly beginning to tire.

'_Think!'_ he told himself. _'Think!'_

Shigi took advantage of his moment of strategizing, pulling his sword back and landing a solid palm-strike against Naruto's chest. It looked to be a simple push, but to Naruto, it felt like he had just been hit with a giant tree. He was flung backwards several meters, tumbling a few moment before he slid to a halt on his stomach.

As the blonde raised his head, Shigi walked towards him ominously, sword held tightly in his fist. Naruto cringed.

'_Hyôrinmaru!'_ he called to the dragon desperately.

"_Can't…"_ came the weak reply. _"Not enough…energy…"_

"**I could lend you mine,"** a deep voice interrupted. Naruto's heart stopped for a moment, and the world seemed to follow. **"But…why should I let you borrow my power?"**

'_If I die, so do you,'_ Naruto told the Nine Tails. _'If I live, then you live longer as well.'_

"**Death would be an awfully big adventure,"** came the reply, casual. **"Why should I lend you my strength? I get nothing, in the end."**

'_Because I need it!'_ Naruto told it angrily. _'I don't care if you're the strongest of all the tailed beasts! If you don't lend it to me, I'll _take it_!'_

The response was a deep, satisfied chuckle, **"I like you, kid. You've got guts, and I respect that. I'll lend you my power, for now. Take as much as you need."**

An overwhelming sense of anger began to fill Naruto as the Kyubi's chakra began to leak from the seal, and he shook his head, desperately going through hand seals. He couldn't allow the chakra to control him, he had to control it. The only way he knew how to do it…he just hoped that it worked with the demon's chakra as a focus, this time.

There was an angry howl in the back of his mind as he wrenched the Kyubi's taint and influence from the charka surging through his body. Instantly, his wounds healed and his fatigue disappeared. Like before, he could feel the changes come over him, but they were less violent. His muscles became stronger and denser and his fingernails sharpened into pointed claws.

Around him, a brilliant orange aura came to life, clinging to his skin. Wisps of it lifted into the air like fire, and the aura was so dense and compact that it was difficult to tell where his skin ended and his clothes began. There were several dark markings down his front, complete with the spiral that was the Kyubi's seal and a ring of Yang symbols that surrounded his neck.

Slowly, as Shigi stopped at the powerful presence Naruto now radiated, the blonde stood. His voice had an echoing, wavering quality to it, as though he were talking underwater, thousands of leagues of heavy liquid pressing down on him, "Kamui: Reigen no Tenshi." (Might of the Gods: Heartless Angel)

Quickly, before Shigi could react, Naruto flung his hand out, "Bakudô no Rokujuuichi: Rikujôkôrô!" (Six Rods Prison of Light)

Six thin but wide rods of yellow light stabbed Shigi's abdomen, holding him in place. Grunting with frustration, he stared down at the beams and started pounding them with his sword, trying desperately to break them. Naruto seemed to find this amusing, "I'm afraid that won't work. At this level, my raw power will prevent you from overwhelming that binding spell."

He held up a finger, a ball of white energy glowing in front of the tip. With a small smirk, he said, "Good bye."

With a blast of white lightning, Shigi was no more. Turning around, Naruto found Aizen looking at him with something akin to surprise. Faintly, the brown haired man whispered, "Oh."

As Naruto held up his finger again, a black box fell on top of Aizen, enveloping him. With fierce, stern orange eyes, Naruto sighed and said a three simple words as the spears formed, "Sayonara, Aizen Sousuke."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

In the year following the defeat of Akatsuki, and, ultimately, the death of Pein, the balance of power between the Five Great Nations shifted almost irreversibly. The former Amegakure, now without a leader, collapsed into anarchy. It was only inevitable that it would erupt once more into civil war as multiple factions fought to take the place that Pein had left vacant.

The disappearance of Aizen Sousuke, a prominent feudal lord in the Land of Earth, also had an effect. Down their best strategist, their de facto leader, and one of their best shinobi, the Village of Hidden Stone was weakened to the point where many didn't consider it one of the Five Great Hidden Villages anymore. It would, unfortunately for its people and the Tsuchikage, never regain its former glory.

In the end, the territory belonging to Hidden Sound and the former Rice Country became a part of Fire Country, further adding to Konoha's superiority as compared to the other villages. A few months later, the Hidden Wave Village would enter into a strong, permanent alliance with the Hidden Leaf Village, further augmenting the Land of Fire. Iwagakure, in an attempt to keep itself from annihilation, declared Konoha superior to itself and entered into its own alliance, a submissive one, with the greatest of the Five Powers.

Kumogakure, aware that it had little chance of winning should any more countries join the Land of Fire, made a nonaggression pact with the remaining hostile nations, including Kirigakure. Together, they launched a massive assault on the Hidden Leaf Village in an attempt to restore the balance of power to the way it had been (or even in their own favor).

They failed.

Waiting for them, it seemed, at the gates of the Village was a single shinobi, a blonde with spiky hair and wearing a slightly familiar white coat, a sword slung over his shoulder. In a calm, quiet, polite voice, he asked them to retreat and promised that no one had to die. The mass of ninja, hundreds upon thousands of them, laughed at him. Frowning, he had held up a single hand and snapped his fingers.

A kunoichi with her silky brown hair pulled into to buns, one on either side of her head, leapt above them and pulled out a scroll. When she flung it open, thousands of kunai were released into their number, but none of them hit anyone. That had only made them laugh harder, but those kunai had been their undoing.

With a frighteningly familiar yellow flash, the blonde disappeared and, one by one, their numbers had fallen. Only the Raikage and his brother, the container of the Eight Tails, remained. It was an epic clash, one worthy of the history books, between the blonde and the two brothers, but, even with the power of the Eight Tails, they were no match for the one technique that ended it all. Kamui: Reigen no Tenshi.

With no ninja left, no military with which to fight, and no leader to hold them together, Kumogakure collapsed into nothing and became several different countries, each warring with each other. Inside the Empire of China, they were quickly quelled and became a part of the ancient power claiming the 'Mandate of Heaven'. Kirigakure, now lacking a great deal of its shinobi, entered into an alliance with Konoha to preserve its independence.

Thus, in the few remaining countries that considered Konoha an enemy, the name Namikaze Naruto soon took on new titles. He was called 'Konoha no Ryûjin', 'God of War', 'The Flash Reborn', 'God Slayer', and even 'The Azure Moon'. He was the second shinobi in history to be given the double S ranking in the bingo books.

And so, with the greatest shinobi since the Rikudo Sennin on their side, Konoha became the strongest force in the world of ninja. Now, three and a half years later, it remains so.

"I'm proud to announce," a voice said over the roaring approval of the crowd. Hinata looked up, watching as a twenty year old blonde man, her husband, walked out onto the balcony. Tsunade continued, "the Sixth Hokage, Namikaze Naruto!"

The roar from the crowd rose in volume, increasing to deafening. Hinata smiled and clapped politely along with the enthusiasm. An elbow in her side drew her attention over to Tenten, who was smiling and clapping as well. The brunette leaned over to her, "Seems like you made a good choice, didn't you, Hinata? Marrying him, I mean."

Giggling, Hinata turned her attention back up to Naruto. Together, she and Tenten whispered, "Congratulations, Naruto-kun."

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

"Hokage-sama!" a voice called, its owner bursting through the double doors of the Hokage's office. Naruto frowned, looking up from his paperwork at the ANBU who stood in front of him, panicking.

"Hokage-sama!" the ANBU went on. "Danzo is on the move!"

Naruto stood in one fluid motion, quickly shedding his Hokage robes and hat and grabbing his signature coat on the way out the door. The ANBU followed closely behind him as he strode quickly from his office, intent on settling the problem before him. "Tell me what's going on. Has he assaulted the village?"

"Yes," the ANBU said swiftly, breathing in short pants. "ROOT has begun an attack on the village's major clans. Our ninja are in disarray and communications are shot. My squad leader ordered me to inform you of the situation. Danzo is moving towards this very tower as we speak."

"I see," Naruto mumbled. Louder, he said, "Grab as many as the council members as you can, inform them of the situation. After that, begin evacuation into the forest and the training areas."

"Not the mountain tunnels?" the ANBU asked hesitantly.

"No, Danzo knows standard protocol," Naruto explained. "He could easily gain an advantage if we follow normal SOP. What we need to do is what he'll least expect, so we'll evacuate into the surrounding forest and the training areas, places where it isn't exactly safe but isn't seriously dangerous."

"Understood," the ANBU said, moving to follow his orders. A hand stopped him. "Hokage-sama?"

Naruto moved swiftly, chopping the back of the man's neck. He fell to the floor, unconscious. Naruto mumbled, "Sloppy, Danzo. The councilmen's quarters are in the _east_ districts, not the west."

He looked up, "Kakashi! Did you get all of that?"

Kakashi walked out from behind the office's open doors, "Yeah, I got all of it. Should I pick up Gai?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, just send one of your dogs. We need to take care of this before it escalates too far. As it is, we're going to have to let the clans fend for themselves. Until we reestablish order, we'd only be spreading our forces too thin."

"Right," Kakashi nodded, closing his book with a snap. He moved to carry out his orders, only to pause. "Naruto…Be wary of Danzo. He wasn't the Sandaime's teammate for nothing, you know. You shouldn't underestimate him."

Naruto grimaced, then began down the steps, "I know."

Several flights of steps later, Naruto opened the doors to the tower and stepped out into the sunlight. A ninja flew towards him, but he cut the man down with a simple, effortless slash of his sword. The sounds of an epic battle raged on in the background, and several fires burned bright in the midday sun.

Several more ninja assaulted him, but he defeated them all easily, as though he were fighting mere children and not highly trained warriors. Still, they came, attacking in swarms and unable to realize that they could not defeat him. Frowning in frustration, he released his ironclad hold on his reiatsu and sent them all to their knees, gasping and retching.

Naruto held out a hand and, an instant later, spikes of ice shot up from the ground and skewered each of the Root ninja. Letting his arm drop back to his side, Naruto frowned and lifted narrowed eyes to glare at the calm form of the man known as Danzo, who had instigated the battle that raged around them.

"End of the line," he said, blue eyes dead and calm.

"For you, yes," Danzo answered, slowly undoing the bandages around his shoulder. Beneath them was a perfect right arm, marred only by the myriad of blazing sharingan eyes, each of which spun lazily. Naruto felt his blood run cold.

"You," he whispered harshly. "You monster!"

Danzo scoffed, "You and those before you, you're all too soft! You can't do what needs to be done in order to lead this land properly!"

"Get off your high horse!" Naruto yelled back. "War won't solve anything! All it'll do is destroy the world and the peace we've fought so hard to protect!"

"And Konoha suffers for it!" Danzo roared. "We could be so much greater! We could conquer all of the elemental countries, sweep in and crush the opposition effortlessly! But you! You're satisfied with oaths of fealty! This peace of yours won't last!"

"As long as there are people willing to protect it," Naruto roared, "this peace will never die!"

He vanished and when he reappeared, he had speared Danzo through the stomach. There was a moment of pause, then Danzo melted away and a gash appeared on Naruto's arm. There was the flutter of clothing and Naruto pushed the pain of the cut on his arm away as he dodged the attack from behind.

"That's not possible," Naruto said, glaring at Danzo. "I killed you. I felt my sword connect with solid flesh and blood, and clones do not just melt away like that."

"How can you be Hokage and yet know so little?" Danzo crowed. He leapt forward, holding a kunai in one hand. Naruto vanished and reappeared behind him. As he swung down, Danzo spun and stabbed at Naruto's gut. Both blows connected, but Danzo melted away again, leaving Naruto with a very real and bleeding wound.

Naruto looked up, one arm wrapped around his injury, as Danzo appeared again, sending blades of compressed air at him. Naruto lifted a single hand and held it out in front of him, as though to block the blades. He spoke a single word, "Danku!" and a translucent wall erupted in front of him, blocking the attack.

Naruto's hand glowed green for a second, then he stood, his wound closed, and stared down his foe. He swung his sword with a cry of "Guncho Tsurara!" and sent a pack of sharpened icicles at Danzo, who leapt over them. Naruto vanished, then reappeared behind Danzo and swung down again, calling, "Nadegiri!"

The attack landed, and, once again, Danzo melted away into nothingness. He appeared behind Naruto, who ducked under another swing and used a quick burst of Shunpô to put distance between them. Both landed deftly on their feet and Naruto noticed, for the first time, that three of the eyes on Danzo's arm had closed.

Sheathing Hyôrinmaru, Naruto slapped his hands together as though praying and slammed them to the ground. A large sealing array bloomed beneath his palms and, in an instant, the two combatants were standing on the water at the Valley of the End. Danzo looked around dazedly, surprise lit across his features.

Naruto slapped his hands together again, "Brethren-in-arms withdrawing for the distance of eight sun and standing still; blue bolt, white bolt, black bolt, red bolt; sinking into the ocean, together seeking redemption."

He made several gestures with his hands and a wall of interlocking pillars appeared between them, reaching to the height of the statues nearby, "Ryuubi no Joumon." (Gate of the Dragon Tail)

He made more gestures and another structure, like a black and white watermill, appeared to Danzo's right, "Koko no Joumon." (Gate of the Tiger Fang)

Yet even more gestures and a third structure fizzled into existence, a pattern of interlocked hexagons, to Danzo's left, "Kikai no Joumon." (Gate of the Turtle Shell)

Above Danzo, a large structure not unlike a red lampshade slowly knitted itself together to the command of, "Hoyoku no Joumon." (Gate of the Phoenix Wings)

As this last structure fell into place, a translucent, box-shaped black barrier came into existence, its boundaries defined by the four structures, "Shiji no Saimon." (Gate of the Four Beasts)

Danzo hurled several attacks at the barrier, but, no matter what he did, the barrier seemed unscathed. "Namikaze!" he howled. "What sorcery is this?"

Naruto did not answer and, with a flicker of Shunpô, reappeared at the Koko no Joumon. He held up a hand, fingers stretched outwards, and braced it with his other arm, grasping his right arm just below the wrist. A ball of blue energy gathered there as a dense orange aura lit up around him, the orb growing steadily in size.

Finally, when it had reached the size of a large basketball, the aura around Naruto vanished and the Koko no Joumon pulled inwards, revealing an opening in the barrier. Naruto released the orb and it shot forwards at incredible speed, "Ryuujin no Shoukyoku no Kaen!" (Dragon God's Incinerating Flames)

The moment the orb passed the opening, it closed, snapping shut. A second later, there was an explosion and the barrier cracked from the pressure as brilliant blue flames filled it to the brim. There was a dull roar as the water that had been captured inside evaporated en masse and shrouded everything within in steam, but Naruto was sure that nothing could have survived such a powerful technique. He made a gesture with his hands and the barrier faded into nothingness.

He had only a split second to rest before something sharp and metallic dug into his stomach for the second time that day. Danzo stood in front of him, left hand grasping the kunai impaling Naruto, and his right arm missing in a way that suggested it had been purposefully amputated rather than burned off.

"You've been a thorn in my side," Danzo breathed, "for far too long, Namikaze!"

Naruto reached out and grabbed Danzo's burned arm, grunting, "This is gonna be rather unconventional, but it should work." Reiatsu flared around him, glowing orange. "Ittou Kasou!" (Single Blade Cremation)

A large pillar of flame erupted, the lake sizzling as the water evaporated rapidly, and stretched towards the sky, shaped rather like the tip of a katana. Moments later, it was over, and Naruto and Danzo stood at the center of the blaze, Naruto panting and Danzo covered with angry, blistering burns.

Danzo stumbled backwards and collapsed onto the shore, screaming as the dirt and rocks dug into his burned back. Naruto observed this with amazement; it was incredible that Danzo was still alive, let alone conscious, but he chocked it up to the fact that he had not used the Kidô as it had been intended.

Directing a bit of the Kyubi's chakra into the new wound on his stomach, Naruto strode tiredly over to Danzo, freeing Hyôrinmaru on the way. He leaned over Danzo's body and poised his sword to strike, "This is the end, Danzo."

Danzo reached up and pulled away the remains of his shirt, revealing a complex sealing array, "If I…am to die…I'm taking you with me!"

Naruto swore and energy flared to life around him, then everything stopped for a second, just before Naruto vanished. Danzo's body was vaporized, but Naruto was already gone, and when he reappeared at the base of the Hokage tower, everything stopped in mid motion for a second, as though time had frozen. Time lurched back into motion when he stumbled and fell to his knees, clearly out of breath.

"What a way," Naruto panted, "to test that technique!"

"Hokage-sama!" a ninja landed in front of Naruto, kneeling submissively. "The situation is under control, Hokage-sama!"

"Danzo is dead," Naruto told the ninja. "What about Root?"

The ninja jerked at the news, but paused only a moment before answering, "Root is currently being apprehended, Hokage-sama. Casualties are at a minimal and Root members are being repelled and captured. Hokage-sama…The Council requests your presence."

Naruto took in a deep breath, then let it out as a sigh. He stood and, a moment later, so did the ninja in front of him, "All right. Let's get going. The clean up for this whole mess is going to be a nightmare."

Naruto looked up at the bright, sunlit sky, and could not help but smile.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

_**To be continued**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach **

**This is one of my favorite chapters, simply because of the confrontation involved in it. I hope all of you enjoyed this as much as I did, because this was awesome. Unfortunately, I realized that I wouldn't have anywhere near enough content to do another chapter solely on Aizen and his betraying Akatsuki, so…I combined chapters Eleven and Twelve into one. Next up, the Epilogue.**

**Now, as for power levels compared to shinigami; pure reiryoku is denser, stronger, and generally more powerful than Chakra (because, after death, it has to compensate for the physical energy aspect of chakra). Therefore, a Kage level ninja here would be the equivalent, by my measures, of a Fifth or Fourth Seat Shinigami, maybe Third. Most would point out, then, that Naruto would have been killed by the sheer pressure of Yamamoto's reiatsu in Chapter Six. Ah, but those who say that are forgetting: all shinigami ranked as Captain or Lieutenant have their power limited to twenty percent of their maximum while they're in the Human World.**

**What this means for Naruto is that, at his strongest, he will never truly be Captain level. HOWEVER, certain events involving our furry little friend sealed in Naruto's belly will ensure that Naruto is on nearly equal, if not flat out equal, ground with Yama-jii by the sequel. **

_**And…No matter what…protect your honor…**_

**James Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes**

_**J**__ames Daniel Godric Alan Fawkes_**(Signature best viewed in **_**Wendy Medium**_** font style)**


	19. Author Commentary

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens**  
**By**: James D. Fawkes

**Bonus: Author Commentary**

— **o.0.O.O.0.o —**

"PLACES, PEOPLE!" Madara said loudly, waving his hands authoritatively. "WE'RE ON IN FIVE! EVERYTHING'S GOTTA BE SET UP IN TIME! MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT!"

"Calm down," said Aizen, sitting comfortably on a chair reading a magazine, his ankles folded and resting on a plump footrest. "Shounen Jump" was blazoned across the magazine's front, and "The End of Aizen?" was written in bold near the bottom corner. He arched an eyebrow at something he read, then spared a quick glance at Madara. "Everything's going fine. You don't need to get all excited."

"Unlike you, Mister Executive Producer," Madara hissed, "_I_ am doing my job!"

Aizen rolled his eyes and smiled behind his magazine.

"Calm down, Madara," a voice said suddenly, ringing with clear amusement. Madara spun to find the figure of a tall man, just shy of six feet, standing behind him, gray-blue eyes twinkling like Albus Dumbledore. "Why do you think you had such a minor role? I wanted you to have time to dedicate to your other duties."

A harried-looking, mousy girl bustled over, her sandy brown hair frayed and frazzled. Her wire-rimmed glasses were askew and she was handling a steaming mug of something, her scarf loose and barely hanging to her around her shoulders. Whatever it was that was in the mug, she was clearly trying desperately not to spill it while she rushed.

"Your Earl Grey, Mr. Fawkes," she said hurriedly, offering the mug to the blue-eyed man, who took it with a quiet "Thank you" as she tried to catch her breath. "Three sugars and a lemon, gently stirred and steeped for five minutes, just how you like it."

"You know me too well, Alice," Mr. Fawkes said with a smile. Alice gave him a look.

"It was you who dragged me down this rabbit hole, sir," she said dryly. "At least I got something out of it."

She hurried off a moment later.

"Hey, James," Aizen greeted flippantly, turning the page of his magazine. "You know, despite the year-long setback, I enjoyed that vacation. Think you could give us another one?"

"Afraid not," James said, laughing heartily. "I might not slave you as hard as Kubo and his animator friends, who had you dancing a jig twice a week until a few weeks ago, but I have to give something at least once a month. It's my personal quota."

Madara looked him up and down, scrutinizing the immaculate uniform. The overcoat was long and white with two tiny golden chains stretching across the front, the undershirt was black silk and embroidered with the stylized gold silhouette of a phoenix that rose up from the collar and hem of the overcoat to reach for his neck, and the pants were the color of freshly fallen snow (and looked just as soft). The ends of a red satin sash hung down over his left leg and black leather boots that reached nearly halfway up his shins matched a pair of gloves that were hanging, stuffed halfway in, from one of the coat's almost invisible pockets. Madara couldn't help but think that it was rather similar to the uniform of those Knight of Rounds guys in one of the other projects that didn't go anywhere.

There was also something…_off_ about him, something Madara had noticed many times before. There was a cool, calculated intellect about him, a sharpness to those kind blue eyes that his demeanor belied. Whenever he saw it, Madara was reminded of the character Aizen Sousuke, the character played by the man lounging not far away reading manga. They both had the same air, and whenever Madara saw that sharpness in James's eyes, he was reminded also of a particular line Aizen had loved saying during the actual recording.

"_It's hard to step on ants without crushing them." _And _"What does it matter if you're sweeping up one speck of dirt or two?"_

"At least _you're_ taking this seriously," he muttered, shoving away his discomfort.

"Wow, JD," a voice said, and a grinning Naruto walked over, hands shoved in his pockets. "You sure you're looking fancy enough?"

"Naruto," James greeted with a sly smile. "I thought you and Hinata were…ah…_busy_."

Naruto's face lit up in a bright blush, then he spun around and fled as fast as his feet could carry him, promising revenge at the top of his lungs.

"ONE MINUTE, EVERYONE!" a voice called.

"ALL RIGHT, PLACES! PLACES!" Madara yelled. The chaos around them settled down and James walked onto set, sipping gingerly at his tea as he sat down into a large armchair that looked ready to burst its stuffing. He seemed to sink halfway into it, wriggling with a frown on his face until he finally got comfortable. He reclined just as the countdown began.

"Five...Four…Three…Two…"

Hey, everyone. Thought I'd give you this as a bonus, just because. This is my commentary on Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens. So let's get it started.

First of all, SUTFH is the biggest, most popular project I've ever done. I wrote it, and I couldn't believe just how much of a monster it grew into. It started off as a half-baked idea that I had inspiration for (and Toushiro was one of my favorite Bleach characters) that gave Naruto Hyôrinmaru.

But then it grew.

To make a world real, to give the characters depth and dimension, there has to be dynamism. Kishimoto's Naruto isn't that dynamic. He gets stronger (at a pace that's ridiculous, considering how long it took him to learn Kage Bunshin and Rasengan), but doesn't really grow up much. That's why Shippuden isn't as interesting as the first Part.

But my Naruto grew, stronger, smarter, into a better, more mature person. He was still a little awkward socially, but he was mostly a well-rounded character. His mind and skills sharpened, all thanks to Hyôrinmaru, who taught him the things he needed to know to be a good warrior, not a good ninja.

I've had some people say his power was unrealistic, but really, if you'd seen how quickly Toushiro advanced (he was out of the Shinigami Academy nearly as fast as Gin, who took a year instead of the usual six, and a Captain within fifty years of graduating), and if you really thought about how quickly Naruto learned some stuff in canon (in less than a month, he learned Sage Mode to a degree that even Jiraiya could not, even with at least thirty years more experience) it shouldn't be so surprising. My version of Naruto simply went about it a different way, one that showed off his power more.

But there are still so many of you who liked this story. There are still so many of you who stayed with him to the end, and others who are following him as he teaches Ichigo in Crisis Core: The Azure Moon. To those, I say thank you, for it is you who are inspiring me to revise and add to SUTFH.

Yes, you read right.

One of the things that has held me back as a writer is that I have difficult writing some of the more "boring" parts of the story. There are several things I skipped in SUTFH, including Naruto's short fight with Kimimaro during the Retrieval Arc, parts of the Tsunade Arc, Gamabunta during the Chunin Exams — the list goes on. These are things whose scenes in the manga and anime I would have to spend hours searching for and hours more writing. I simply didn't want to do that before. Now, I'm considering it.

So, from here on out, I've decided to answer major questions. This story is technically complete, so it will remain labeled as such, but I will add to this chapter at least once a month to address questions posed in reviews, at least ones whose answers will be significantly in-depth. If you want to ask a question, review this chapter and I'll either answer you directly or add it to the text.

That means, of course, that I won't answer questions posed in a review to a chapter before this (though I may actually answer questions about CCTAM). You are warned, though, that flamers will be strung up and made example of, for I have no tolerance for hateful, cynical reviews whose only purpose is to try and tear me down (especially since they fail).

So, if you've got a question, ask it. The worst that could happen is that I just won't answer it.

Now, I've gotten some questions about Tenten. Some asked if my plans for her were fully developed when first I gave her Sô'unga. The answer to this is a resounding "NO." Originally, you see, I had planned to have five "Elemental Dragons." I would have Hyôrinmaru for ice, Ryuujin Jakka for fire, Murakumo for lightning, Sô'unga for air/wind, and an as of yet unnamed zanpakuto for earth. The plan was for these to be the strongest of their element and each would be weak against one of the others, like the Naruto world elemental jutsu.

This didn't really pan out.

No, I should be more accurate. I still plan to do the five elemental thing, it just won't play as big a role. The Knights thing has taken more importance to the storyline.

But I digress. No, I didn't originally plan to have Tenten show up as Tatsuki with a huge role in the sequel. I still don't. I MIGHT have her show up for Hueco Mundo, but that's a ways off yet, and she's a mortal girl now. Naruto, even though he still has access to his original body, will not fall for her (she's still fully mortal/human). He feels/will feel (the verb tense is really confusing for this issue) it would be as though he were trying to replace Tenten, and that is something he refuses to do. Any man who's ever loved a woman, wholly, truly loved her, will tell you that you can fall in love with another woman, but that it'll never be the same as when you loved that first woman. And you won't cheapen your love for either by trying to use one to replace the other's spot in your heart (unless you're mourning the other really, really badly).

Hope that answers the Tenten issue. If not, I'm sure I could add more to it.

All right, another thing is Hyôrinmaru. I've not really had any questions about him, but I wanted to clear something up. In Bleach, most zanpakuto are born from the individual soul of a Shinigami. It's noted, however, that Hyôrinmaru is an exception, and I've come to address why he is — at least in my story.

Hyôrinmaru belongs to Naruto, end of story. Period. He's been with Naruto since first Naruto was created; he was there when Naruto was Rikudo Sennin, and all the past lives that came before. The reason why DiamondDust Rebellion will work with my story is because of what Naruto did with him. He tore the Kyuubi's power away from his body (the trauma of which severed his chain of fate and made him a true Shinigami, though his human body is still technically alive; he's like Ichigo) and made Toushiro from that power using the same technique the Rikudo Sennin used to create the Bijuu. Toushiro, however, was still technically connected to Naruto, and when given Hyôrinmaru could access a significant portion of his potential.

HOWEVER, the trauma that divided them made Hyôrinmaru's connection to his master weaker because his master was split in two, and so when Naruto created Toushiro, Hyôrinmaru was split in two, and a smaller, much weaker part (incapable of Bankai) branched off to create/bond with Kusaka Soujiro. Get it?

In regards to Naruto's Bankai, it has three forms, and each of these three forms dedicates itself to parts of an extreme, that is to say, the power of his Bankai and its size. Because of how this works, Daiguren and Tenkô Hyôrinmaru are on either end of the extremes. Daiguren follows the "Bankai is Big" rule. When unleashed by Naruto, Daiguren Hyôrinmaru turns most inanimate objects, especially liquids, within range of its spiritual pressure to ice. It also adds a few somewhat bulky additions to the wielder (wings, gauntlets, greaves, tail, etc.). The power of this Bankai form is diluted because it follows the BiB rule and so uses a significant portion of its power to not only activate, but to maintain.

Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru is comfortably in the middle. It's not quite as big as Daiguren and its radius of influence is smaller because it is more compact (but all three forms use Tenso Jurin). Because it's smaller, its raw power is more focused and less spread out, so its base attack power is greater than Daiguren. Daiguren is a good all-around Bankai because its defense and offense are balanced out, even though its offense isn't as strong as Bishamonten. Bishamonten Hyôrinmaru is a better offensive Bankai but it still has a formidable defense, just that the defense isn't as balanced with its offense as Daiguren's is.

Then there's Tenkô Hyôrinmaru. It's on the extreme opposite of Daiguren. All of its power, the power normally used to make the Bankai and sustain it, is compressed into a single blade — like Byakuya's Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi and Ichigo's Tensa Zangetsu. Because all that power is compressed into that single sword, all of the features present in the other two forms are gone — the wings, appendages of ice, everything that could defend Naruto from attack. In exchange, however, the sheer attack power of his Bankai is massive enough to permanently alter the landscape with a single swing. And, because of how it functions, Naruto also gets his ultimate defense — a body made of water that cannot be destroyed without use of extreme heat or without an arid environment. It can be damaged, but as long as there is water, that damage is temporary. In this Bankai form, the only way to beat him is to vaporize his body, exhaust him (which can happen quickly if he uses a lot of powerful attacks consecutively), or bind him with Kido. In this form, All of water is his weapon, all of heaven is under his dominion.

See you later, everybody.

But now that I think of it, one last thing.

Recently, it has come to my attention that some have deemed it necessary to try correcting my usage of Japanese. Regretfully, I must ask that all of you refrain. I'm sure you mean well, but it would be presumptuous of you to correct me. Few of you have any formal learning in the Japanese language. Most of what you know, in fact, is gleaned from reading stories such as mine. Unless you have had at least four years of instruction from a native speaker of Japanese or are a native speaker yourself, it would simply be pretentious and arrogant of you to presume you know enough to correct me, and pretenses and presumptions, and especially arrogance, are rather dangerous things. Don't you agree?

So, as a favor, I shall correct those of you with presumptions. Others would not have bothered, but I am kind, so I shall correct those in need of correction.

"S**a**nnin" does not mean "of the three," and even if it did, "Hebi Sannin" or, supposedly, "Snake of the Three" would not make much sense. If you were to find yourself in Konoha and asked about the "Hebi Sannin," you would be given quite a few strange looks. "S**a**nnin" means "three people," or, in this case, if the proper kanji is supplied, it means "three ninja." "S**e**nnin" means "sage." "Hebi S**e**nnin," therefore, means "Snake Sage," which is the appropriate term for Orochimaru, just as Jiraiya is the "Gama S**e**nnin," the "Toad Sage." The full and proper title, which is rather taxing to write every time, would be "Densetsu no Sannin no Hebi Sennin," or "Snake Sage of the Legendary Three Ninja." Please do not make such mistakes in the future.

There is no cause for alarm, however. I am confident that most of you will not make such a mistake. This section has been entirely for those that do or will. If you have made such a mistake, then do not fret. I have already forgiven you. I must ask, however, that you not make such a mistake again.

But there is another mistake that you shouldn't make, and it would be remiss of me not to clarify what that mistake is.

I never asked any of you to trust me, only to listen and read and review. I asked that you never correct me unless you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, because you had far more tutelage in the Japanese language than I did, that you were, in fact, correct. I never expressed such confidence in my grasp of a language than I did in my Japanese and, as should be obvious, in modern American English. If I made a mistake with Latin or the older, more formal-sounding English that might have been found in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, or Seventeenth Century Anno Domini, and you _know_, because you have experience that I do not, that I did indeed make a mistake, then you may correct me. It is only natural.

So it is remiss of you, any of you, to assume I believe myself a master of any of the languages I use. I am not even a master of modern American English — a language is a living, breathing thing. So long as there are people to speak it, it will grow and evolve. It is, therefore, remiss of you to assume I arrogantly believe myself the best linguist in the world. I know I am not.

Yet, I find there is one last thing I must ask of you. I must ask that you who have something to say to me — a bone to pick, as it were, or an axe to grind, or if you want to insult me or flame me — have the courage to at least own up to your words. Leaving me a message under the cloak of anonymity is an act of an immature coward, too scared to take responsibility for himself. You cannot hide under the guise of laziness and claim that you did not want to go through the trouble of signing in — that excuse is pathetically transparent, and it would do you a disservice far greater than any insult you may throw at me.

And here we are again, at that time of happy farewell. Such a misfortune — no dialogue to make things interesting. Mores the pity.

Have a nice day. Next time, you'll have to stay for tea.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Note: I realize that FFN would rather I not do this sort of thing, but, as I have no place else to post my commentary on this story (which will probably grow as I think of more I want to say about it), here it shall be. As this is not a discussion, it has no place on a forum, and I have no blog site (and I'm not a blogger anyway), so here it will stay — unless FFN asks me to take it down.


	20. The Azure Sky

**Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens**  
**By**: James D. Fawkes

**The Rewrite: The Azure Sky**

— **o.0.O.O.0.o —**

As some of you are probably aware, I have posted the beginning of a rewrite of this story called "The Azure Sky" and would like to note that there will be a number of differences to the story that make it far more interesting than this one. The result of the rewrite will be a more balanced Naruto with a far fuller, more complete story. To start, I will be rehashing Ryûjin no Torai and a number of other abilities, adding scenes that weren't there before, and editing the original text to turn the story entirely to Naruto's point of view. That means no more confusing changes of POV mid paragraph. There will, however, be moments of insight into other characters as needed to explain instances of the plot, particularly from the Big Bad.

"The Azure Sky" will also feature a longer storyline with stronger bad guys and a much more extensive plot, (though those who pulled the strings during the original will still be pulling the strings here). There will be more stuff added from current canon, even though we'll veer _way_ off course probably around the same time as before (maybe even a bit sooner). Another note is that it will be HAREM FREE for reasons I will not go into. So it will be strictly NaruHina.

Oh, yes, and Sasuke won't be getting a Zanpakuto. Hinata still will and Tenten might (not sure yet), but the reason Hinata gets hers is not simply "because I said so." Rather, those of you who have read the sequel to SUTFH will understand, to some extent, who or what caused Hinata to get a Zanpakuto (some of you, anyway). That said, I doubt I will ever explicitly state why Hinata gets one. She will not, however, be getting a Bankai in TAS.

I will ask you all to remember that there are several things to keep in mind while reading TAS. First, Anyone Can Die. Second, the Chessmaster Aizen. Third, Dangerous Forbidden Techniques (with techniques that are actually physically debilitating for more than Rock Lee). Fourth, some extent of Explaining Your Power to the Enemy (though this will be far more toned down since it will be almost entirely from Naruto's POV). Five, the distinct possibility of Refuge in Audacity. Six, Conservation of Ninjutsu.

And any others I might have missed.

— o.0.O.O.0.o —

Note: I realize that FFN would rather I not do this sort of thing, but, as I suspect that a number of you are either unaware of the rewrite or do not think it would be sufficiently enhanced, I must post this notice. An author's greatest ambitions are being noticed for his or her works and sharing the beauty of the worlds that they've created with others.


End file.
